Betrayal In Its Simplest Form
by Virelei
Summary: One day, Seirin realizes Kuroko's strange behavior. Kuroko comes day after day to practice, harboring more injuries than before. Is Kuroko holding a dark secret? Determined to find out, Seirin investigates in Kuroko's life, soon to find something shocking. But GoM are already on their move. Overprotective!GoM. Warnings of abuse and language.
1. Chapter 1

Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form

Chapter 1

"Oi, Kuroko!" Kagami's loud voice echoed throughout the gym. Seirin's basketball team paid him no mind as they wiped off their perspiration with their towels. Today's training had been tough, especially with a practice match against Kaijou coming up.

A certain teal-colored head raised in the mist of sweaty basketball players. "Hai, Kagami-kun?"

"Can I come over to your house, today?" The red-head stood in front of his teammate, his unusually tall frame looming over the smaller boy. At Kagami's question, all of Seirin turned their heads toward Kuroko.

"Oi, don't leave me out," Junpei Hyuuga, Seirin's captain, popped in next to Kagami. "I want to see Kuroko's house, too."

Riko, their coach, appeared as well. "Me, too! I've never seen your house before, Kuroko."

Soon, many of the Seirin basketball team members crowded around the poor, short boy, asking if they could see his house.

"Ano. . ." Kuroko finally spoke up. Even when quiet, everyone heard him and stopped talking. "Thank you for the interest, but I am busy this afternoon. I'm sorry for the inconvenience." He stood up from the bench and gave a short bow. The whole team quietly shuffled out of their way as Kuroko grabbed his blue bag and walked out of the gym without another word.

There was a moment of silence before:

"What the hell was that about?" Hyuuga.

"What does he mean by busy? Does he have a date?" Izuki.

"W-what? No! He can't have a girlfriend!" Kagami.

"E-eh? Why not, Kagami?" Teppei.

"J-just because!" Kagami.

"Enough!" The coach yelled at the top of her lungs. Everybody froze. She waited for all whispers to stop before asking, "Haven't you guys noticed Kuroko has been acting differently, lately?"

"What do you mean, senpai?" Kagami asked, always the dense one.

"Bakagami," Riko muttered. "I mean for the past few days, Kuroko's been too quiet. I mean, I know he's always quiet, but this kind of silence is like he's hiding something. Anyone notice?"

"Now that you mention it," Hyuuga spoke up, "he didn't make any of his usually-correct passes, today. You would think he would work harder since we're going up against Kaijou soon . . . ."

"And he hasn't been coming with us after practice, anymore," Koga chirped.

Mitobe silently bent forward and grabbed an object. He held it high for all to see. It was Kuroko's basketball bag. Everyone blinked.

"Wait, then what—"

"My bag's missing!" Kagami shouted. "Damn, Kuroko must have taken it by accident!" Then he stopped. Wait, Kuroko took it by accident? His partner was never this reckless.

There was long silence between the teammates of Seirin's high basketball team. Each player thought of their dependable passer. "Just what is going on?" everyone questioned out loud, excluding Mitobe.

~Setting Skip~

"I'm home," Kuroko said quietly, even though he knew no one was home—or so he thought. He slowly shut the door closed and took off his blue basketball shoes. Dropping his bag, unnoticed by him that Kagami's name was printed on the bag in clear, black letters, he shuffled a few steps in the hall, but didn't get far because a hand flew toward his face and slammed him against a wall.

His body radiated with pain as he slid down and collapsed on the floor. Before he had time to recover, the same hand that had attacked him pulled at his short hair and yanked his face up. An unwanted yelp escaped his lips. A pair of familiar, cold, blue eyes came close to his face. "Where were you, _Tetsuya-kun_?"

"O-okaa-san," Kuroko whispered painfully. "I thought your trip would end later."

A cruel sneer appeared on the supposedly young woman's face. She had the same teal-colored hair, yet it reached her shoulder and was styled toward the right, not the left. A slim, yet powerful body with the same pale skin you would kind on Kuroko. As similar as they looked, the mother and son were completely different.

"Is that all I get, you ungrateful brat?" she hissed. "No 'welcome home'? I went on that trip to earn money for _you_. Now I know it was a waste." The pressure on his scalp thankfully disappeared, but it was replaced by a sharp blow on the side of his head, making him slam against the wall once more. "Well?" A hideous pain bloomed at his ribs right after a hard kick was applied.

Kuroko coughed up blood. "W-welcome home, Okaa-san," he managed to croak.

The woman didn't seem to hear as she applied another kick to Kuroko's rib area. She picked up the small teen and threw him against the wall. The small teen tried to defend himself as best as he could, to no avail. Pain grew until his body couldn't take it. Just on the brink of passing out, he heard a faint voice:

"Ibuki! Ibuki, stop it! You're going to kill our son!"

_Otou-san,_ Kuroko thought. The night sky blanketed before him, until he could see nothing but pitch black.


	2. Chapter 2

Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Forms

Chapter 2

(I heard some people can't understand some of the Japanese words I use. I won't stop using them, because I want to still fix in that Japanese background to Kuroko. He's polite, and sometimes using the Japanese words gives more emotion than regular English words. There is a translation at the bottom, though, if no one knows what they mean).

"Tetsuya," a voice hissed. "Tetsuya, wake up. Tetsu!" A sudden jerk had Kuroko snapping his eyes open and defensively sitting up. A sore ache spread throughout his body. "Careful." A pair of hands pushed gently on his shoulders. He slowly lied back down with a wince. "You don't want to re-injure yourself. Just rest."

Kuroko turned his head slightly, recognizing the soft-spoken voice. It took him a while to clear his blurry vision. "Otou-san?" he tried to say, but with his lips so chapped and his throat very dry, his words came out scratchy and quiet.

The anxious man sitting next to the bed broke into a small smile. He also had teal-colored hair, but his eyes were a deep brown. Despite his son's short stature, he was decently tall with pale skin. However, instead of a cold, unforgiving face, the man held a soft, worried expression for his injured son. Tears came to his shining brown eyes.

"Thank goodness," Haru, Kuroko's father, whispered. "You're all right." Kuroko watched as his father knelt down gently on the floor and take him into a comforting embrace, mindful of his injuries. The shorter male, ignoring the pain, slowly wrapped his arms around his father's thin body. "I'm sorry, Tetsu," Haru whispered. Kuroko could feel wet droplets matting his hair.

"Why are you apologizing, Otou-san?" he let go of his father and looked straight into his eyes, "It's not your fault."

Haru shook his head. "It is, Tetsuya. I married that monster, and I can't do anything about it. She would take you for custody if I divorced her, and that I can't take." His father took a shuddering breath and put a hand over his face with a chuckle. "Look at me, a grown-man crying. I shouldn't be crying. You're the one who's taking the pain." Haru looked up and reached out a hand. He flinched when Kuroko automatically started to recoil, but his hand kept going until it reached his son's hair. He caressed the soft, blue locks. "I'm sorry, Tetsuya," Haru whispered once more.

"Please stop, Otou-san." Kuroko took his father's hand in his, gripping tightly. "It's not your fault. Please don't burden all of my pains onto yourself." He hesitated before asking, "Is Okaa-san home?"

Haru shook his head. "She left awhile ago. It gave me time to wrap your injuries." His father looked at the bandages around Kuroko's body. "Does it hurt a lot?" came the agonized question. Kuroko didn't answer as his father joined him on his bed and gently pushed his small body against his large frame. In fact, the fragile boy welcomed it as he leaned his head on his father's chest and grabbed the stiff, button-down shirt Kuroko knew his father only wore when on business meetings. "Don't hold it in, Tetsu. I know it hurts. Let it out."

Kuroko only buried his face more into his father's shirt and laid still.

Father and son stayed like that for what seemed like hours, both desperately wishing for time to stop.

**~Setting Skip~**

"Don't go anywhere, okay?" Haru fixed the covers over Kuroko's body. "I'll be right back. I'm locking your room from the outside with the key. If your mother comes home, do _not_ open the door. Just stay quiet and act as if you're not there, no matter what she says. You have my phone number, so make sure to call me if something bad happens. And . . . ." Haru hesitated, but said, "I don't care how much you respect your mother or how weak you think you are. If she somehow comes into this room to hurt you, _you fight back_. You hear me, Tetsuya? _Fight back_."

"Hai, Otou-san," came Kuroko's quiet response.

Haru gave a satisfied nod, knowing his polite son would not disobey him. "I'll be going now. Don't hesitate to call me, Tetsu. I'll always pick up." He gave his son a swift kiss to the forehead before heading out, making sure to securely lock Kuroko's room with the key.

Kuroko listened for the door slam before visibly relaxing against the headboard. Finally given the chance, he looked around his surroundings. He realized he was in his room, and that his father must have carried him there after arguing with his mother. The walls were a light blue, matching the color of the soft carpet. The room was simple, as expected from Kuroko. The bed he was lying on was set in one corner while a wooden desk and a chair accompanied beside him. A random basketball sat under the desk. His school bag rested near the door, and a small walk-in closet settled across from his bed.

Kuroko gave an inaudible sigh and looked at his phone, which had all his practice dates. He winced when he saw there was another afternoon practice today. "How do I explain this to them?" the injured teen asked quietly to himself. He decided to call Kagami, just to make sure they didn't think he was ditching practice. _With the Kaijou game coming up, they're going to be mad, _Kuroko thought sullenly.

"Hello?" Kagami's rough voice came through the line. "That you, Kuroko?"

"Hai," Kuroko answered politely. But before he could say anything else, Kagami's questions interrupted him:

"Where are you? You're late, and I'm getting blamed on because of you! Don't tell me you're skipping. We have a game with Kaijou, soon! Oi, Kuroko, are you listening? Get your ass here, now!"

"I'm sorry, Kagami-kun, but I can't come, today."

"_What?_ Why not?"

"I am . . . sick, Kagami-kun. I won't be able to come to practice for a few days."

There was a silence of disbelief. "You were fine, earlier, Kuroko! Does this have to do with coming over to your house? Some of us were just joking, you know—"

"No, it does not have to do with coming over to my house. I just caught a cold. I'm sorry for the inconvenience." Kuroko gave a small bow, even though no one could see him. When Kagami didn't answered for a long time, he asked warily, ". . . Kagami-kun? Could you please tell Riko-san about my condition?"

Kagami blew a long sigh through the phone. "Yeah. Sure. Get better, okay?"

"Yes," the polite boy said, and then hung up before anymore was said.

**~Setting Skip~**

"Kuroko won't be able to make it," Kagami announced loudly. "He's sick."

The sound of basketballs slapping the gym floor stopped. Heads turned. Expressions turned into disbelief. Movements froze.

"Kuroko's . . . sick?" Hyuuga asked.

Kagami held up his red phone and waved it. "That's what he just said."

"But he was fine earlier!" Koganei protested.

"Are you sure it just isn't an excuse?" Teppei asked.

"If it is an excuse, I'll beat him up," Riko said darkly.

The tall red-head shrugged. "He just told me to pass on the message. Nothing else." He bent down and picked up a rolling basketball. The ball was passed back and forth between his hands before he threw the basketball with all his power against the wall. No one commented on the small dent. "Damn it, Kuroko," Kagami muttered, breathing hard. "What the hell are you hiding?"

Otou-san = Formal way of saying "Father"

Okaa-san = Formal way of saying "Mother"

Hai = "Yes" or a confirmation of another statement


	3. Chapter 3

Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form

Chapter 3

Loud crashes sounded from outside the door of Kuroko's room. There were the sounds of glass breaking, dishes falling, and possibly-valuable objects thrown against the innocent door. Kuroko cringed and dug himself deeper under his blankets. Ibuki had returned home a couple of hours ago, and the constant crashes against his bedroom had continued endlessly.

"Tetsu-ya-k-u-n," Ibuki's sweet, poisonous voice crooned right outside the locked door. "Come and greet your mother, Tet-su-ya-_kun_." Shivers traveled down Kuroko's back. He fought to keep his tears back and remained silent, acting as if he were absent, just as his father told him to. "I know you're in there, Tetsu," his mother seductively purred. "I won't hurt you. Just open this door."

_I have to call Otou-san, _Kuroko dimly realized, but his phone was on his desk, and he was too paralyzed to take the heavy blankets off of him and reach for it. He was afraid he would somehow make noise from reaching that long one-foot distance from his bed to desk. His mother's sick voice and constant knocking made his blood run cold, so he was simply frozen on his bed.

"Tet-su-ya," Ibuki's voice turned cold. "It's not nice to keep your mother waiting. Where have your manners gone? Do I need to beat them into you, again, Tet-su-ya?"

The shaking started. Kuroko's body trembled in fear at the words and a few tears did leak from his bloodshot eyes. _Go away, _he begged silently. _I'm not here. I'm invisible. Please, go away. _There was a reason he had become so invisible. He wasn't born with being a "shadow". He trained himself as one.

"This is your last chance, Tetsuya," his mother hissed. "I don't care if it's locked. I'm going to get the screwdriver and take out this knob. Do you want that, Tetsu?" His name sounded disgusting from her lips. When he didn't answer, Ibuki's footsteps stomped far away from his room. Kuroko waited for what seemed like forever, hoping that the silence was a sign of hope. The hope grew bigger as seconds passed by without incident: until there was the sound of metal clinking together.

Kuroko's heart jumped. _She's really doing it? She's going to break into my room? _He held his breath and squeezed his eyes shut. This was the one time where he hated being so weak, so helpless, so _dependent. _Even on the basketball courts, he needed someone. Without a partner, he would be nothing.

"I warned you, Tetsuya," his mother sang. "Once I get this knob off, I'm going to teach you a lesson about manners."

Kuroko realized he had to move. He had to escape. The thought of him surviving got him out of his paralysis. He yanked off his blanket covers. Cool air reached him, and he was able to take in a deep breath after hours of limited oxygen under the sheets. Gently, Kuroko pulled himself up—mindful of his ribs and head injuries—to swing his legs over the bed. He wobbled to an upright position, but quickly hunched over from the sudden pain around his abdomen area. His breath was sucked right out of him.

"You better not be running, Kuroko Tetsuya," Ibuki warned. "You wouldn't get the chance, anyway. The first two screws are off . . ."

The statement itself had the injured teen gritting his teeth and hobbling over to his jacket that hung on a coat rack. Quickly putting it over his naked upper half, he clumsily slipped on his extra pair of basketball shoes he kept under his desk. The last thing he grabbed was his phone.

"One more screw, my disobedient son."

He swallowed. Kuroko knew he didn't have time. It was only a matter of time before his mother came in and caught him. As fast as he could, he walked over to his large window and opened it. A ladder trap, activated every time the window opened, worked as usual; a long, swing ladder dropped down against the wall. His father had taught him this trick ever since Ibuki had become violent.

Ignoring the pain, Kuroko pushed his body through the window, his feet steadily planted on the third step of the loose ladder. Pale, clammy hands gripped the dusty window sill before they came down to the first step. The ladder trembled beneath his weight, which wasn't much, but it held. With exaggerated carefulness, Kuroko began to descend down the ladder.

"Tetsuya!" an angry shriek as him stop in the middle of his descent. He jerked his head up and froze as his mother's face popped through the open window. "How dare you try to run away, you ungrateful brat! So this is how you've been escaping me, hm? Well, we'll just get rid of the problem." Ibuki's face distorted into an ugly, sadistic smile. She held out a pocketknife and twisted it out in the air, the light hitting on the sharp metal. The knife glinted evilly. "We'll see how you survive the fall, Tet-su-ya-_kun_," Kuroko's mother drawled.

Said boy widened his eyes as his abuser set the knife against the ropes that held the ladder. She started sawing it slowly, teasingly. "N-no. Please don't, Okaa—" Kuroko's plead was cut off by a cry of his own. The ladder collapsed suddenly, and the teal-haired boy could feel himself falling toward the ground.

Before he knew it, gravity took a toll on him, and his back slammed against the concrete ground. Blood hacked from his mouth right as the contact was made. A scream tried to escape, but even his brain couldn't process that. His head was dizzy from the new level of torture. _It hurts. _Kuroko could feel blood seeping from the large gashes made from the fall. He was dimly aware of his mother's laughter.

"That looks like it hurts, Tetsu. Tell me, does it hurt?" Ibuki taunted from the window. "Does it hurt to move? Oh, my poor, little son. Don't move an inch, _I'll be right down_."

_I'll be right down. I'll be right down. I'll be right down. Move. Run. Escape. _Warning signals blared in his brain. I have to move, Kuroko thought desperately. I have to run. Despite the searing burn on his back and his legs, he managed to roll onto his side and shakily stand up. Then, probably the biggest mistake of his life, he began to run.

The pain was simply indescribable. It made Kuroko want to scream, to collapse, to sob, to give up. He ran clumsily, always about to trip over his own two feet every couple of steps. Some bystanders looked at him strangely. Unfortunately, running with a trail of blood wasn't the correct way to become invisible. Kuroko overheard some of the comments:

"Should we call the police?"

"That poor boy! What happened to him?"

"Should he help him?"

Help, please, Kuroko wanted to say. He wanted to tell them about his mother, the abuse, the pain. His brain didn't allow him, though. The only thing his body did allow him to do was run. The only reason he didn't stop and collapse was because of the results that would be followed with his mother.

A familiar café popped up before him. People made way for him as he ran toward it. There should be a secret—there it was. The first lucky thing that happened to him today. When Kuroko was younger, he would always play near this café, at a secret spot only the owner knew and allowed him to play. It was behind the building, where two overgrown gardens full of weeds made a 'hiding place'. It was completely secluded. And since no one dared to go through the field of weeds, rarely anybody came here.

Kuroko stumbled through the weeds, the feeling of fatigue catching up to him. Before he could make it to the open space, his legs gave out under him.

A groan escaped from him. Blood dribbled from the chapped lips from biting his tongue so hard while running. Something throbbed on the back of his head. Somewhere through the pain though, Kuroko had enough sense to call someone from the phone he had clutched so faithfully during his trip. He didn't call his father.

The person he called picked up on the first ring: "Yes?"

"A-Akashi-kun," he croaked.

"Tetsuya. What is it?" The former captain of Teiko's basketball team asked immediately

It took a long while before Kuroko could answer. "Help me, please. It-hurts."

"Where are you?"

"Near—the—café," he managed to wheeze out. "Where we used to play."

Akashi clucked in tongue. "You're lucky I am nearby. Stay there, and do not move. I will be there shortly."

He didn't get to answer before the line disconnected.

**~Setting Skip~**

Seijuro Akashi ran through the streets, the destination already in his mind. His speed was not unheard of, and it surpassed everybody's from the Generation of Miracles. A pair of sharp scissors that stuck out in his front pocket was not unnoticed by a few pedestrians.

He knew of Kuroko's condition. Oh, yes, he knew. And if _his_ Tetsuya was injured yet again from that woman, he would make sure the woman regret it. Yet plotting a murder wasn't on his top priorities list right now; finding Kuroko was number one.

_If he means the café, then that means . . . Ah, here it is. _Akashi approached the small building and took a left. He was aware of the hiding spot Tetsuya went to whenever he wanted to be alone. It has been a silent secret between them since. "Tetsuya," Akashi demanded as he traveled through the weeds.

"Aka . . shi-kun?" a weak voice responded. The hetero-eyed teenager picked up his pace toward the voice.

Finally, Akashi managed to reach his former teammate. He could see the weak boy was fighting the urge to pass out. The injuries were worse than he thought as blood seeped out slowly from the wounds. Fury raged through his body. How dare—how _dare_ that woman touch _his _Tetsuya? His hand twitched toward his scissors.

"A-ka-shi-kun." Kuroko had a difficult time pronouncing his name. "You came."

"Of course I came," came Akashi's terse reply. He came over to kneel over the teen. "What hurts you most?"

"My back," Tetsuya said quietly.

The short captain sighed and took out a roll of bandages from his pockets. "I'm going to temporarily wrap your leg and head wounds. Don't you dare pass out, Tetsuya, do you hear me?"

For some reason, Akashi's commanding voice comforted Kuroko. "Hai," he whispered.

He managed to wrap the major gashes quickly and efficiently. There was no pain added to it, and Kuroko was extremely relieved, but his back was now causing him agony. "Akashi-kun," the smaller rasped. Abruptly, a pair of calloused yet warm hands carefully took his tiny frame into an embrace. Kuroko didn't protest and buried his face into his rescuer's shoulder.

"It's going to be all right," a commanding voice next to his ear said. It was unlike the former captain to speak such words. "I am here."

Remaining blood stained Akashi's jacket, but it didn't matter, because now he had to focus on healing the fragile boy in his arms. "My back . . ." Kuroko said.

A hand ran through his messy, teal locks. "You can go to sleep, now. It won't hurt anymore."

And Kuroko did just that. He finally gave into his body's needs and passed out in Akashi's arms.

~**Setting Skip~**

The hetero-eyed teen managed to walk up the steps with an unconscious boy in his arms. He stuck in a gold key to his apartment door and opened the door knob with ease. Kuroko's body weight was almost close to nothing, so it did nothing to hinder the former captain.

Akashi frowned at his weight. _I'll need for him to eat more. _

Carefully, Seijuro set Kuroko on the couch. The movement made the pale boy groan, but it didn't wake him up. Akashi grimaced and quickly dug in his pockets to pull out his phone. Texting faster than usual, he typed:

_Come to my place immediately. _

_This is an order. Tetsuya is injured._

Satisfied, he sent the text and threw his phone carelessly, knowing it would land on the chair behind him.

Then, he pulled out the first-aid box, and started to tend to Kuroko's wounds.

**~Time Skip~**

"Is Kurokocchi all right?" Kise Ryouta cried as soon as he slammed open Akashi's door. "Is he okay? Does he need to go to the hospital? Do I need to make Midorima's train go faster so we can get him to heal—?"

"Ryouta." The cold voice made Kise stop mid-sentence and shiver. "You will do well to keep your voice down."

The blonde finally blinked and realized Akashi and Kuroko were right in front of him, sitting on the couch. Actually, the former was sitting on the couch. The latter was curled up against the feared captain, his eyes closed. "S-sorry, Akashicchi."

Hetero eyes narrowed at him for a second, before he gave a curt nod to the copier. Kise sighed in relief and made his way to Kuroko. He knelt down right in front of Akashi's legs and stared at the injuries inflicted on the invisible boy. "Is it who I think it is?"

"Yes. I am assuming."

Kise cursed softly.

Soon, the whole Generation of Miracles arrived at Akashi's complex. Each player had the same reaction as Kise, more or less. Aomine had cursed louder, resulting in a reprimand from the feared teen. Midorima shook his head silently and pressed his lips together in a straight line. Murasakibara sadly munched on his chips and even offered some to Akashi, who declined the offering.

The Generation of Miracles knew what kind of living Hell Kuroko went through when his parents arrived home. They knew what his mother was capable of, and how much pain she could put the boy through before he broke. All of them had seen enough of a broken Kuroko, and it was something they all shared in hatred.

Midorima sighed and sat next to the sleeping boy, hesitantly ruffling Tetsuya's hair. "So troublesome," he spoke softly.

"Will Kuro-chin be all right, Aka-chin?" Murasakibara asked morosely.

"I do not know, Atsushi. Have a seat first. You cannot pace in my apartment at your height."

The purple-haired mumbled an apology, which was accepted, and sat down.

"Of course he'll be all right!" Aomine protested. "Kuroko may look weak, but he's strong! He survived all those years—"

"But how many more can he take?" The number-one shooter cheerlessly pointed out. Teiko's ace didn't know how to answer that.

"Damn it." Easy tears came to Kise's eyes. "Why does it always have to be Kurokocchi? Why does he always have to suffer?" Ryouta wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and sniffled. "It's not fair. He doesn't deserve this."

Akashi pursed his lips at his old teammates' comments. He did agree. Tetsuya didn't deserve any of his pain. He didn't need an ungrateful mother who could not see how lucky she was to have Tetsu as a son. He didn't need any more suffering.

The red-haired pressed a soft kiss to the boy's clammy forehead before addressing the Generation of Miracles, "I understand you are all upset. You are right, Ryouta. Tetsuya does not deserve this unnecessary suffering." He paused, and then said, "No one is to know about this, even Seirin, Tetsuya's team . . . No, _especially_ Seirin. Make sure at all costs Seirin does not know about this."

(A lot happened in this chapter! Thank you for your supportive reviews! In reward, I updated twice with a long chapter!)


	4. Chapter 4

Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form

Chapter 4

"What are we going to do?"

"We are going to do nothing, Daiki. We will simply wait for Tetsuya's injuries to heal before we do anything else."

"But-!"

"Daiki."

There was silence. Kuroko tried to make sense of the conversation and where he was. His head was being supported by something warm, and a hand caressed his head over and over. A dull pain radiated throughout his body, but it wasn't anything major. He could feel a light blanket over his body. The hand that was running through his hair felt comforting, soothing, and he didn't want it to stop.

Unfortunately, it did stop. The hand stopped at the base of his neck, squeezing lightly in affection. "Tetsuya."

Kuroko knew he'd been caught. He obediently opened his eyes, squinted from the sudden light, and stared at the blank red-haired teen's face. A faint blush came onto his face when he realized he was lying on his past captain's lap.

"The fact that you're blushing means you're healing well," Akashi said, amused.

"Kurokocchi?" an uninvited voice cried.

"Tetsu!"

"Kuro-chin is alive!"

"Of course he's alive, baka."

"Eh-h? Why is Mido-chin so mean?"

Kuroko blinked and stared at the three colorful basketball players who loomed over him. The number-one-shooter sat at Kuroko's feet. "Everybody," he managed to croak. "You came."

An annoyed sigh came from Midorima. "Well, we were more or less forced to, but of course we came," then the annoyance turned into worry, "You've been out for a few hours. Are you all right?"

Everyone anxiously waited for the pale teen to answer. "Hai . . . It doesn't hurt as much anymore." There was an obvious sigh of relief in the room. Kuroko turned his gaze toward his 'pillow'. "Ano, Akashi-kun?"

"Yes?" The second shortest in the room answered indifferently.

"How . . . did I get here?" Feeling out of character, Kuroko turned slightly with a wince and started fiddling with the end of Akashi's shirt.

It was Murasakibara who answered, "Aka-chin carried Kuro-chin all the way to Aka-chin's apartment!" The tall teen paused, and then said, "Oh, but this isn't Aka-chin's real house. His house is too far away for him to carry you."

It was true. If Akashi took the smaller boy all the way to his house, he would have to take a four-hour train, and Kuroko would have been in danger by then. Since his parents could afford it, Rakuzan's ace had a complex in almost every city he usually visited.

"You carried me? I apologize for being such a hindrance," the polite teen said and struggled to get up. Twenty hands came to help. Kuroko fought the urge to flinch and reminded himself they were just helping. He managed to sit in an upright position without his wounds opening, and Akashi laid a hand on his shoulder, to steady him. The small boy looked blankly at the old first string of Teiko's basketball team and then reverted his eyes to the floor. "I'm sorry for causing so much trouble," he mumbled.

"Baka." Midorima's hand lightly smacked the back of Kuroko's head, but he made sure to avoid the injured area. "You're not causing that much trouble."

"Midorimacchi is right, Kurokocchi," Kise said loudly. "We _want_ to be here!"

Kuroko surveyed in wonder the rainbow-haired people who had come from miles away just to see him. Each had a concerned expression on; even Murasakibara had stopped eating his chocolate bar. "Thank you, everyone," he thanked quietly.

Akashi sighed inaudibly and stood up from the couch, stretching his legs and stiff muscles. Everyone watched the red head in silence, anticipating his next move. "Are you hungry, Tetsuya?"

"No, I—"

"You're eating," the former captain said firmly. "I will make something for you, and you are expected to eat everything I make." Kuroko didn't have a chance to speak as Akashi leaned down, ruffled his hair gently, and left for the kitchen.

For some reason, when the feared player left, the room immediately got warmer by a few degrees. Everybody, including Kuroko, sweat-dropped.

"Uwa-a-h!" The loud blonde cried and clung onto the closest person's—who was unfortunately Aomine—arm. "Akashicchi is so scary!"

"Let go of me!" Aomine tried to shake off Kise.

"Quiet," Midorima ordered. "He can still hear us. And I don't think Kuroko can handle loud noise." They all turned to look at the silent teen. "If it hurts, Kuroko, you have to tell us. Akashi's orders, too. He'll be angry if he knows you're downplaying it." With one hand, the green haired fiddled with a glue stick (which was probably his lucky item) and the other pushed up his glasses with his middle finger.

The said boy lowered his gaze. "I understand. How—bad are my injuries?" he cautiously asked.

Midorima sighed. "Luckily, there were no broken bones. Your rib area, however, is heavily bruised. You have some major wound openings at your head and limbs, but," he pressed his lips together for a moment. "Your back is worse than the rest." This explained why Kuroko was not leaning against the couch for support.

"How bad?" Kuroko almost didn't want to know.

"It—looks like it was beaten with a bat."

Most of them flinched at Midorima's choice of words. For all they knew, Kuroko could have been beaten with a bat. "I see." It was the only response the shadow could give.

Murasakibara sat in the place of Akashi. He took out his uneaten chocolate bar, bit half of it, and then froze when he saw Kuroko. "Do you want some, Kuro-chin?" The tall, purple-haired player asked and held out the bitten bar.

"No-o!" Kise dived for the teal-haired boy. "That's an indirect kiss! Kurokocchi is too precious for your disgusting spit!"

"Disgusting?" Murasakibara pouted.

Aomine stepped in and yanked Kise off of Kuroko. "Oi, don't touch Tetsu!"

"Eh-h? Why not? Aominecchi," Kise whined. When the tanned teen didn't let Kise go, he received the most wide-eyed puppy look. Tōō's ace blushed.

"B-because you could hurt Tetsu!" Aomine half lied and half told the truth.

"Ooh, Mine-chin is jealous of Kuro-chin," Murasakibara, who had been politely declined of sharing the chocolate bar, announced. "Mine-chin likes Ki-chin?"

"What? Aominecchi is jealous?" Kise frowned at the now fully blushing ace. "Just because I'm your boy—"

Aomine slapped a tanned hand over Kise's mouth. "Shut up," he hissed. "Akashi can still hear—ack!"

A pair of flying scissors flew through the almost non-existent space between Kise and Aomine. It stuck itself into the wall next to them. Everybody but Kuroko and Midorima swallowed loudly.

"Is there something you're hiding from me, Ryouta? Daiki?" a deadly voice questioned. The temperature dropped.

Kise was the first to give a nervous laugh. "A-Akashicchi. We're not hiding a-anything . . . ."

"You dare lie to me?"

The blonde 'eeped' and jumped behind Aomine's large body frame. "I'm sorry, Akashicchi," Kise wailed. "It's all Aominecchi's fault!" The said teen gave Kise a dirty look and opened his mouth to protest but felt his throat close up at the sight of Akashi's face. It wasn't one you would want to see. He could literally see his life flashing before his eyes.

The red-head cleared his throat, probably getting ready to set the deadliest punishment in the world to the quivering teenagers, but was interrupted by a quiet voice. "Akashi-kun." Rakuzan's point-guard turned his attention toward the small boy. "My injuries are starting to hurt more," Kuroko confessed. "Especially my back."

Akashi frowned. "I see. I am almost done making your meal. Shintaro, apply more healing ointment and change his bandages. Do not hurt him. As for the rest of you," he glared at the eating teen, the quivering blonde, and the sweating ace. "You will all do well in keeping quiet and help Tetsuya heal. Ryouta, Daiki," he addressed both of them and heard two gulps. "Do not think I am not aware of your current relationship. However, I will tell both of your current captains to double your training menu for lying to me." He paused. "That goes for you as well, Atsushi. You and Himuro have become too affectionate."

The tallest blushed and pouted. "Aka-chin, that's not fair. I don't like practicing with my team."

Akashi's glare softened slightly at the sight of Murasakibara. Just like for Tetsuya, he had a soft spot for the 'baby of the family'. "All the more reason to train, Atsushi . . . But I will have your captain only increase your training period by a third." He ignored the gaping mouths of Ryouta and Daiki and turned around to step back into the kitchen. "Tetsuya. Thank you for being honest about your injuries. We will . . . talk later about what happened."

With nothing more to say, he walked back into the kitchen to stop the high-pitched boiling that was going off. The living room's temperature rose.

"Man," Aomine complained right away. "He's like some nagging mother."

"You're to blame," Midorima said bluntly. He had the first-aid kit out and was taking out the necessary tools to change the quiet boy's bandages. "If you hadn't lied, that would have never happened. Kuroko, I'm going to take your jacket off. Hold still so I won't hurt you."

"Hai." Kuroko obeyed.

"I didn't lie! It's Kise's fault!" The tanned ace threw a glare to his boyfriend.

"His gaze was too pressuring!" Kise defended. "I didn't want to die, but I didn't want for Akashicchi to break us up." A blush made its way onto his face.

Murasakibara had a sullen expression. "Aka-chin got mad at me and extended my training menu," he said sadly.

"At least it wasn't doubled!" Both shouted.

"Itai," Kuroko suddenly said, flinching at the sting on his back.

The green-haired teen pushed up his glasses and put down the cotton ball. "I'm sorry. I have to clean your wounds again so it won't be infected. It will sting." He picked up a new cotton ball, doused it with disinfectant, and slowly touched the large gash on the pale boy's back.

Kuroko yelped at the burn and immediately tried to get away from the disinfectant. This resulted in him losing his balance and almost falling to the floor, if it weren't for Murasakibara's strong hand to catch him. The number one shooter and defensive player helped him into a more balanced position. "S-sorry, Midorima-kun."

"It's fine. I know it stings."

"What was that sound?" Akashi's voice drifted through to the living room. Said boy entered with a tray of freshly made chicken-noodle soup, tossed salad, bread, and hot tea. The aroma made players around Kuroko drool.

"Gomen, Akashi-kun. It was me."

"Hm." Akashi looked at Midorima, who was suddenly too busy with wrapping Kuroko's chest with new bandages. "After Shintaro treats you, you will eat. And I expect everything to be gone." He narrowed his eyes sternly at the guilty boy. "Understand?"

Kuroko eyed the large meal nervously. "Everything, Akashi-kun?"

"Everything."

"Akashicchi is right," Kise volunteered. "You're too light and skinny, Kurokocchi!"

Everyone agreed to the comment.

After all his bandages were replaced, Kuroko began to eat slowly. The Generation of Miracles watched in silence for a few minutes, before Teiko's former captain spoke, "So, Tetsuya. Would you mind telling us what happened?" It wasn't a question. They all knew it was an order.

The mentioned boy shakily put down his spoon and looked down at the ground. He fidgeted with his hands. "A g-gang came onto me," Kuroko lied softly, not daring to look up to the incredulous eyes. He didn't want them to worry more about his personal life. It was so _frustrating_ that he kept relying on people. He wanted to become more independent, more useful to his friends.

Suddenly, a hand flashed out and grabbed Kuroko's chin. His face was yanked abruptly to come a few inches from Akashi's. His blue eyes met angry hetero ones. "You will not lie to me, Tetsuya." The command was said animal-like, deep and furious. "You will not lie for the sake of others or for yourself. You will tell us the truth. And you are going to obey me without question; do you comprehend my words, Tetsuya Kuroko?" The captain stopped when he saw the onslaught of tears forming in the usually-blank blue eyes. The next statement was said softer, with more care, more gentle, "It was your mother, wasn't it?"

A heartbreaking teary nod was seen before Kuroko slammed him body against Akashi. As if by instinct, the red-head wrapped his arms around the smaller boy, one hand on the tangled locks of hair and the other around his waist. Kuroko's arms were around the captain's chest, with his face buried on the shoulder of his holder.

Loud sobs came from the fragile boy. Comforting whispers were said next to his ear as the hand on his head stroked up and down. The rest of the Generation of Miracles crowded around the two, each having their part in calming the crying boy down. Everyone threw away their worries about themselves and simply focused on Kuroko.

Because, despite what Kuroko thought, the teal-haired boy was not a shadow in their eyes. He was their light and always has been since they first met him. And now, it was their job to bring the light bright again, and heal a, once again, broken Tetsuya Kuroko.

**~Setting Skip~**

"Are you sure we should do this?" Kagami nervously asked.

"Of course we should!" Riko said. "We have to find out what's going on with Kuroko. And if he's really sick, we have to make him feel better, of course!"

"Well, yeah, but was it really necessary to break into the administrative office to find Kuroko's address?"

Riko smirked. "It's not called breaking into if you have a key."

"A key that you _stole._"

"_Borrowed_."

"Without permission."

The coach of Seirin's basketball team had no answer to that. "Oi, we're here," Hyuuga announced. The whole team stopped in front of a small house. They walked up the pathway and hesitated at the blue door. "Well? Aren't you going to knock, Kagami?"

"Hah?" The tall basketball player looked at Hyuuga with disbelief. "Why me?"

"Because," Hyuuga gave his deadly smile, "I'm your senpai, and first years should respect their senpais."

Kagami's eye twitched. _He's only a year older than me, _he indignantly thought, but knocked loudly on the door anyway. Right away, the golden doorknob turned and a tall woman emerged on the threshold. She had straight, teal hair that was styled on the right and had the same colored eyes as Kuroko. _Must be his mom, _Seirin's ace thought.

"What do you want?" the woman hissed.

"H-hello, ma'em," Riko bowed respectively. "We're friends of Kuroko-kun, and we were wondering if we could visit him, today?"

Immediately, the woman's expression changed from a grumpy, sour face to an overly sweet expression. "Oh? You're Tetsu's friends?" The way she said that made Kagami shiver, but he didn't know why. "Unfortunately, Tetsu ran away earlier. I can't find him anywhere! But," she gave a smirk, "Maybe you can. You know Tetsu, right? Can you please find him for me and bring him back? His father and I are so worried." There was a gleam in the woman's eyes. "I miss Tetsu-kun _very _much."

(A long chapter :) I wanted to add some humor into this, because it was getting so angsty, and I hate to write something that would make someone feel too depressed. Please review! Thank you!)


	5. Chapter 5

Betrayal In Its Simplest Form

Chapter 5

_"Absolutely not." _The protest was deadly, hissed with anger and authority. It made Aomine, who was the only one in the room beside the arguing two, shiver with fear.

Kuroko didn't seem to be fazed by the tone. He was sitting up on the large king bed, which was a _little_ too big for the small teen, his back supported by a large amount of pillows. Heavy blankets covered up to his waist, but did nothing for his naked upper body. Blank, Kuroko-like eyes stared into hetero ones defiantly. The only clue you could pick up from the emotionless teen was the small furrow between two blue eyebrows.

Rakuzan's captain was a different story, however. His whole frame _radiated_ controlled fury. Red and yellow eyes gleamed dangerously at the arguing boy, usually a sign a crazy punishment was on its way. His body stance; back erect, arms crossed tightly over his chest, and legs shoulder-width apart, told that he was not letting Kuroko out of the room anytime soon.

_How can Tetsu not be scared? _Aomine thought faintly. _Or maybe he is, and I just can't tell._

"Akashi-kun," Kuroko challenged. "I have to go."

"Whether you have to or not, I don't care. You are not going."

"Seirin depends on me."

"They will have to do without for awhile, then. A team is not strong if they cannot win with one person missing."

The small teen finally showed more signs of anger. He clenched the bed sheets and threw a small glare at the captain. "I have to go, Akashi-kun! They'll be suspicious of me!"

"You are not going to today's practice, and that is final." Akashi's voice held no room for argument. Even Kuroko knew when to stop pushing the red head. Defeated, said boy lowered his gaze to the bed sheets, his mouth set into an angry line. There was nothing but tense silence for what seemed like hours but was only minutes. Aomine tried to edge closer to the door. "Tetsuya." Akashi sighed and moved toward the sulking boy. "I understand your frustration of not being able to participate with your team, but you're injured. You've only just begun to heal, and moving around, especially in sports, is not a good way to recuperate. Also, I want you out of your mother's sights for a little longer. It's for your own safety."

A hand rested on Kuroko's head. He leaned against the caress, knowing his former teammate was right. Akashi let the teal haired boy rest against his hand for a minute before gently laying Kuroko down into a sleeping position. He pressed a kiss on the pale forehead. "You should rest, now. Daiki, stay in the room and guard the door."

With that, the red head left silently, the door clicking. Aomine sighed. _Why me? Why not Murasakibara? He's a better guard than me. _

"Aomine-kun?"

The tanned teen snapped up his head and looked at Kuroko. "Yeah?" He grabbed a chair and set it next to the bed, straddling it so that he could hear the quiet boy better.

"Do you—like Kise-kun?"

Tōō's ace could feel his face getting warmer. "What kind of question is that?" he rubbed the back of his neck and let out a deep breath. "Y-yeah, I guess I do."

Kuroko nodded. "That's good. Kise-kun had a crush on you since middle school."

"Hah?" Aomine's eyes widened at the piece of information. "He did? He was always around _you_, though."

"I was the only one who would listen to his rants about you," the injured boy confessed. "And . . . he would listen to me, too."

If Aomine had dog ears, they would be perking by now. A teasing smirk came onto his lips. "Oh? Does Tetsu have a crush on someone?"

Tetsuya looked the other way, his face blanker than ever. "I never said that, Aomine-kun." His fingers twiddled nervously with each other. "I don't have time to worry over something small, like a _crush_." He felt almost childish to say it.

The tanned player looked around hesitantly to make sure no flying scissors would come out of nowhere. You just never knew what kind of death traps Akashi would set up in his rooms. Once upon a time, Aomine Daiki complained loudly about the red-head's behavior when Akashi had left to retrieve something from his room. Triggered somehow by the insult, a pair of scissors had suddenly whizzed through the air and aimed itself right between the split ends of Aomine's hair. Since then, the tanned teenager knew to keep his mouth shut, his captain there or not.

He did a once more check around the room before whispering into the patient boy's ear, "You know, Akashi seems to like you."

Kuroko gave Aomine a look that you would give to an idiot. The victim of the glare threw his hands up defensively. "I'm only telling you from what I see. He obviously treats you differently from the rest of us." The ace thought about what he said, and quickly rephrased his sentence. "Well, he treats you more affectionately. We all treat you differently. Can you blame us?" Before he realized what he was doing, his hand absent-mindedly ran through Kuroko's teal hair. Kuroko waved it away.

"Why does everyone do that?" Kuroko said and tried to fix his hair.

"It's soft," Aomine replied immediately. "And you don't protest when Akashi does it."

A faint blush came onto Kuroko's cheeks. "That's different. I can't argue with Akashi-kun." His voice hinted he was talking about something else.

"Hey, I do agree with him on this, Tetsu," he said. "I don't think you should go to practice, either. You were hurt badly just a day and a half ago. That's hardly enough time for you to heal."

Kuroko didn't answer. He felt angry at the fact his old partner was siding with Akashi. Yes, his back still hurt, but he didn't need to move much to simply pass the ball. He wasn't very athletic anyways, so his team didn't expect him to run hard. They couldn't _see_ he wanted to help Seirin in every way possible because he knew he could actually make a difference when standing on the court. And with Kaijou's practice match coming up (Kise already left for to practice with his team), he knew they needed him more than ever.

" . . All right," Aomine exhaled loudly. Kuroko could hear him stand up and set the chair back in its place. "I guess you can go to sleep. I'll be right outside the door." It was more of a warning than a comforting statement. Another kiss to his head. It wasn't the tender, affectionate swift kiss Akashi usually gave to him on the forehead or hair. It was a hesitant, rough peck, barely felt on his scalp. Kuroko made a small sigh of satisfaction to acknowledge him and buried deeper in the pillows.

The short boy was used to his old teammate's ways of showing their care for him. It had started ever since Teiko. Whenever a girl nervously confessed to him—which didn't happen often since girls usually didn't notice him—the closest Generation of Miracles member would grab him by the shoulders and glare at the victim. The girl would run away with a squeal. Rumors had once passed for a week that all of the Generation of Miracles players were into boys. You would think this would decrease girl fans, but in that week, everyone—especially Kise—received a locker full of fan letters. Yet Kuroko didn't receive a single letter.

Later on, he found a trash bin that held twelve fan letters addressed to him. It didn't take him long to figure who had broken into his locker and threw them away.

A small smile graced the pale face. As frustrating as they could be, Kuroko at least knew he would be safe with them, his mother there or not.

At least, he _thought_ he knew.

**~In Living Room~**

"Are we going to lock Kuro-chin in your room all day, Aka-chin?"

"No. We are just going to have him rest in my room until Seirin's mandatory practices ends," Akashi frowned at the snacking purple-head. "Shouldn't you be at a practice match today, Atsushi? And I sharply remember ordering your captain to increase your training menu by a third." Stern eyes fixed on the guilty teen.

Murasakibara slumped his shoulders. "I don't want to go," he mumbled.

"Repeat that?"

"I don't want to go," the taller said louder.

"You're going."

Murasakibara sighed loudly and groaned, as if he was a kid being forced to take out the trash, then pouted and grabbed his basketball bag. He threw one last pleading glance to the watching Akashi, but started to move out the door when he realized it would change nothing. "Aka-chin is so mean," he complained before slamming the door.

A smirk appeared on Akashi's face. Despite being incredibly dangerous on the courts and outrageously tall, the 208 centimeters (6'8") tall teen acted nothing more than a five year old. Just as Tetsuya once described, he was a "kid with a loose screw" when not playing basketball.

"Akashi."

The said boy turned to face the last remaining in the room, Shintaro. The number-one ace shooter was sitting casually on the couch, both of his hands playing with a _Hello-Kitty_ plushy Akashi had generously bought him today for his lucky item. His normally kept green hair was a wild jungle from the lack of sleep as of last night.

After they had all managed to calm the distressed teen from yesterday, each one took turns feeding Kuroko. With the crying boy too shaky and traumatized to eat himself, they all taken turns to help him eat. Twice Kuroko refused the food, and twice Akashi ordered him to accept it and eat. Somehow the food was cleaned, both the salad and soup. The tea was only half full since it had turned cold during his breakdown.

Everyone went to bed right after. With sleeping accommodations already made, Aomine, Kise, and Murasakibara had fallen asleep right as their head hit the pillows. They had a perfect, restful night. It was a different story for Midorima, Akashi, and Kuroko, however. Being the second lightest sleeper next to Akashi, the green head found himself waking up every hour or so by Kuroko's cry for help. The fragile teen had more nightmares than Midorima could count. Every time he woke up, he found Kuroko clinging onto Akashi's shirt, his head buried into the nape of his neck. Both players, wide awake, helped comfort the sobbing boy.

Now the same two people with dark rings under their eyes looked at each other from across the room. Even though they had looked like they left on bad terms when separating to high school, they knew they witnessed a large part of Kuroko's suffering. And it was something both could not stand.

"Yes, Shintaro? Would you like to take the guest room and rest? I'm aware you have a late practice tonight."

Midorima sighed. Of course their past captain knew each and every one of their basketball schedules. But he had something else to discuss. "What are we going to do, Akashi?" he asked, ignoring the tempting request of a guest room. "We need to get Kuroko out of that house. He doesn't need to suffer any longer."

A small water bottle wrinkled loudly under Akashi's hand. His 'underling' almost flinched at the sound. "I am aware of that, Shintaro."

Small bursts of anger boiled in Midorima's chest. "If you are aware, then why are you not doing anything about it? Why can't his father report it to the authorities? It's been going on for at least five years; we have enough proof and witnesses! I understand why Kuroko will not speak up, but his pain is not necessary. So why—"

Loud crashes of glass boomed loudly in Midorima's ears. He winced as bits of glass skittered across the floor, each fragment sharp and dangerous. Milk splattered against the glossy wooden flooring and carpet. One small piece fell directly onto the formidable player's foot, pricking it and drawing blood. There was no sign of it affecting the victim.

Akashi had apparently slammed his palms against the table too hard, sending the glass of milk toppling over the edge and crashing to the ground. Deep breaths came from the upset teen, who was supposed to be best one to have the most controlled anger out of the Generation of Miracles. It seemed Midorima's words affected him more than he would have liked. A loud gulp was emitted in the room. They didn't know who swallowed.

"You have no idea what Kuroko Ibuki is capable of, Shintaro," Akashi said quietly. "It will not matter if we have one hundred witnesses of her beating Tetsuya. She owns three of the largest corporations in Japan. She has connections that go deeper than the government. She can have a criminal record swept clean just from her words. She can get the best lawyers against us. If we make _one_ mistake, she will divorce Kuroko Haru, the only source that is keeping Tetsuya here, and custody of Tetsu will immediately be in her hands." A crazed glint came into his red and yellow eyes. Something vicious of a smile appeared on his face. "_That_ is how much influence she has in Japan."

Midorima could feel goose bumps appearing along his arms and back. He had never met Kuroko's mother, yet he felt strangely connected with her. Was it because of he was aware she was the woman hurting Kuroko, or was it because he had heard of her name so many times, he felt like he didn't have to meet her to know her? Only Akashi, Kise, and Aomine had met Kuroko Ibuki, and that was by accident. From what he had heard from Kise, Kuroko had had his training menu doubled because of his lack of effort in training his body. This caused for him to lose track of time, and Ibuki herself came to the gym where she knew her son was training.

Just from Kuroko's reaction to the woman, Akashi connected the dots to the increasing injuries he had spotted whenever Kuroko came to games or practices. Yet, knowing how much power Ibuki had, he reluctantly let the teal-haired boy go home.

The next day, Kuroko came in with a broken arm, severely apologizing for the inconvenience and that he had tripped on the stairs. But everybody knew, including himself when he was informed the next day.

"What about your father?" Midorima demanded. "Doesn't he own a large law office?"

"My father," Akashi said coldly, "cannot beat the people who Ibuki has connections with."

"Then what can we do?"

The red head pushed himself off the table and squared his shoulders. "I do have a plan to help Kuroko. However, we will need many trustworthy people." He eyed the door. "With Ibuki's large influence, it will be hard to find them." There was this one person, though, and he knew for a fact the person hated Ibuki as much as the Generation of Miracles hated her. "Shintaro, get ready to leave. We will be taking a short walk."

"Where are we going?" Midorima squeezed his plushy.

Akashi didn't answer. Instead, he walked down the hall and called out to Kuroko's guard, "Daiki."

Aomine looked up from his phone. He was on the floor, right in front of the room Akashi's room. He didn't dare look out to the living room when he heard the loud crashes and arguing. "Yeah?"

"Is Tetsuya resting?"

"Yeah. He's asleep."

"Good. Keep him there. If he happens to be hungry, make him something. You are allowed to use my kitchen. Shintaro and I will be back, soon."

Aomine yawned. "Yeah, yeah."

The red-head eyed him before turning back down the hall. Aomine waited for the sound of the door slamming before breathing a sigh of relief. "Now that they're gone, maybe I can finally take my nap. It's not as if Tetsu's going anywhere."

He was out in seconds.

**~In the Room~**

Kuroko painfully put on his borrowed basketball shoes. Ever since Aomine closed the door on him, he had put his plan into action. He didn't know where his jacket and pants were, so he had looked in Akashi's closet to find some loose shirts and shorts. Once he found them, he changed into them slowly.

Now, fully prepared with Akashi's wristband, clothes, and basketball shoes, Kuroko put his ear to the door. Light snoring came from the other side. The teal-haired boy smiled, glad he was right that his former partner would go to sleep at any chance he would get. Quietly, just like a shadow, Kuroko opened the door, slipped past Aomine, and managed to get through the front door.

Fresh air greeted him instantly. It felt good to feel the cold and refreshing air. He limped down the steps, using the railings beside him to help. He managed to walk all the way to the curb of the street without falling and called for a taxi, since he didn't know where he was.

"Seirin High School," Kuroko said. "Please."

The taxi driver nodded and started a U-turn.

Surprisingly, the distance between Akashi's temporary complex and his school were not that far. Kuroko paid the driver with the money he 'borrowed' from a cabinet he snooped through (he made a mental note to pay his old captain back). Swallowing down the pain, the short boy limped all the way around the school to get to the gym. His back hurt from the strain, and he almost tripped over himself during the walk.

The sound of basketballs slapping against the gym floor made him smile. _Riko-san is probably going to yell at me, _Kuroko noted. Almost too eagerly, the teenager opened the double doors and dragged his body inside.

His appearance was everything but invisible. All heads turned, basketballs stopped dribbling, and mouths dropped open. He stood awkwardly at the edge of the gym, shuffling uneasily at the silence. "Ano . . . I'm back?"

"Kuroko!" A girl squealed. He turned his head, only for his face to be met by a person's clothing. Riko Aida squeezed the smaller boy with all her strength. Kuroko had to fight back a whimper from escaping. All the pressure on his back made his eyes almost teary. "Oh, we were so worried! Kagami-kun kept calling you, and we even asked the principal if you came back yet! I mean, I can't believe you actually got sick! Were you sick? Finally, you're here, I was worried you wouldn't come! And, we also brought your—"

"Tetsu-kun," a sweet, drawling voice crooned. A tall, teal-haired woman stepped into view. Kuroko's blood froze. "Come greet your mother."

(Hey guys! I'm going to update everyday :) Please support me by reviewing! Those reviews and follows and favorites are the reason why I update so fast :D)


	6. Chapter 6

Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form

Chapter 6

"You are sure he will be there?"

Both players, one tall and one short, traveled through the busy streets. They had been crossing streets and skillfully avoiding bumping into people for the past twenty minutes. Midorima's legs were already tired from the hilly streets and the constant maneuvering around little kids and adults who didn't watch where they were going. Apparently, Akashi's definition of 'a short walk' was different from his definition.

"Yes, he'll be there," Akashi said absent-mindedly. "I'm always right."

Midorima rolled his eyes.

Five minutes later, they stopped in front an old, rundown café. The building looked as if it would collapse at any time, and only a few people entered and left the coffee shop. Some scratched wooden tables were set in front of the building. An annoying sign blinked the large Japanese characters repeatedly: 四季. He immediately translated it into "Shiki" or "Four Seasons".

Akashi checked the time on his phone. "We are late," he announced. "He should be in there by now." He motioned his head for the green head to enter. A melodic chime rang when they opened the door, alerting the waitresses of their presence. Only two tables were taken, one by a couple and another by a young man. The man turned to stare at them.

"Is that him?" Midorima murmured.

"Yes."

"Table for two?" A waitress asked with a polite smile.

"No. We are actually with that man." Akashi pointed to the tall person who was still staring at them.

The waitress looked at the direction of his finger and nodded. "Of course. Please help yourself to a seat."

The two basketball players walked toward the table, Midorima hesitant while Akashi was confident. A feral smile played onto the red-head's lips as they neared the now nervous man. Teiko's number-one shooter surveyed him quickly. He was obviously tall, even while sitting, with short, teal-colored hair and brown eyes. A crisp, blue button-down shirt accommodated the professional black pants. Midorima could see his hands fiddling in his lap.

"Good day, Kuroko Haru-san," Akashi greeted formally.

"Ah, you must be Akashi-kun, right?" Haru scrambled up and gave a small, polite bow. Both raised an eyebrow but bowed back. _Kuroko must get his manners from him, _Midorima observed.

When they were all seated, and Akashi ordered coffee for the green-head and tea for himself, Haru immediately brought up the topic they were there for: "Where is Tetsuya? Is he hurt badly?" he asked, panicked.

"He is fine," Akashi assured the man. "He is currently resting in my home. His injuries are starting to heal."

A huge burden had obviously been lifted from Haru's shoulders. He slumped down in relief; the anxiousness that had been present on his face disappeared after hearing the news. The blue-haired man ran a hand through his hair. "That—that's good," Haru said. "I was worried when I came home to find Tetsu not there. I'm glad he found his friends." He turned his gaze toward Midorima. "Ah, you are . . . ?"

"Midorima Shintaro," he answered stiffly.

"Midorima," Haru rolled the name off his tongue. He furrowed his blue eyebrows for a couple seconds before realization came onto his face. "Oh! You're Midorima-kun. I've heard much about you."

The shooter raised an eyebrow at that. Kuroko talked about him?

"Haru-san," Akashi reverted the attention back to him. "We need to talk."

A shadow came over Kuroko's father's face. "Yes," he said quietly. "I'm aware you want to talk about . . . Tetsu's mother."

"Kuroko Ibuki," Akashi confirmed. "Haru-san, we are all aware she is the cause of Tetsuya's constant injuries."

Haru looked off to the side, his hair falling into place in front his eyes. His hands were clenched angrily at the thought of Tetsu's wounds inflicted by his wife. He swallowed hard, his self control fighting with himself. At that position, Midorima had a hard time contrasting the differences between the mini Kuroko and the adult Kuroko. "I see," the adult Kuroko whispered.

Rakuzan's ace sipped his tea calmly, but Midorima could see the mixed emotions raging in the hetero-colored eyes. He kept silent and unconsciously squeezed his Hello-Kitty plushy. "We'll go straight to the point: We do not want to have Tetsuya suffering any longer. In any way possible, we want to rid Tetsuya of Ibuki." Akashi set his cup down. Pale, slender fingers tapped against the side of the tea cup. "However, we will need your cooperation."

Haru looked up in surprise. His brown eyes were now wide open, his mouth set agape as he processed the words. It was obvious the man thought he wouldn't be any help when it came to Ibuki. Honestly, Midorima didn't know how he would be of help, either. His previous captain had refused to answer his questions about Kuroko's father during their long walk here.

"Me? I," adult Kuroko hesitated, "I can't do anything to Ibuki. If I fight against her in court, she would take custody of Tetsu." He ran a hand over his face. "It would only get worse from there."

"I am fully aware of Ibuki's power," Akashi said. "Shintaro, give me your bag."

The red-head had made Midorima carry a heavy bag that contained unknown objects during their trip to the café. When he was handed the bag, he didn't dare question why couldn't Akashi himself carry it.

The shooter obediently bent down and scooped up the black bag with a grunt. He handed it to Akashi who thanked him. "Your job might be . . . difficult emotionally, but it is fairly easy in terms of capability." The backpack was unzipped and out came a large camera and multiple memory cards. He put them in the middle of the table for all to see. "It will be hard on you, but I do believe you can do this best."

Haru looked at the camera suspiciously. "What do I have to do?"

For the next twenty minutes, Akashi explained Kuroko's father's job fully with details, dates, times, and instructions. As time passed by, Midorima could see Haru's face growing more horrified, and he was sure his face was, too. It was a cruel, unusual job, unfitting to ask Kuroko's father to do it. Yet, he did agree at the same time. Only Haru would have the capability to carry out his task, no one else.

Nothing much was said after the young man, albeit hesitantly, accepted the job. With Akashi sipping his tea, Midorima nervously filing his nails (a habit Akashi had _tried_ to break him out of), and Haru simply looking out the window, a somewhat comfortable silence fell upon them.

A loud cell phone ring had everybody but Akashi jumping out of their seats. The said teen pulled out his phone, checked the caller ID, and then answered it with a frown, "Daiki."

"I can't find Tetsu!" Aomine cried through the line. "He's gone! I checked everywhere. And he left his phone!"

Akashi narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean he's gone, Daiki? Were you not assigned to look after him and make sure he was not to go anywhere?"

"H-he was sleeping, I swear! I only took a short nap, but by the time I woke up, he was gone! Your basketball shoes are missing, and—"

_"You took a nap?" _Akashi yelled angrily. The people in the café looked at him in alarm. Midorima widened his eyes, shocked that their composed captain would actually yell in anger. Aomine must have messed up big time, and he could guess accurately what he had done.

"I t-thought it was ha-harmless," the tanned teen stuttered. "Tetsu usually doesn't do these types of things; you have to agree with that! I mean, no one would think he would actually sneak out!"

The short yet dangerous player covered a hand with his face. "Aomine Daiki," he threatened quietly. "You have Hell waiting for you." Then he hung up. "Shintaro, get ready to go." Akashi stood, his jaw clenched in an irritated manner. Midorima quickly did as he was told, putting away the camera and memory chips and filer. "Haru-san, if you would please come. Your son is missing," Kuroko's father bulged his eyes, "but I have an accurate prediction of where he might be."

**~Setting Skip~**

The basketball flew passed him at an alarming speed and bounced off the gym wall uselessly, its speed decreased considerably as it rolled back to Kuroko's feet. He blinked, wondering when they had passed him the ball.

"Kuroko!" Izuki complained. "That's the ninth time!"

"Yeah, what's going on, Kuroko?" Teppei frowned. "You're usually not distracted.

"Get your head in the game!" Kagami said loudly and slapped the small boy's back for encouragement. Unfortunately, it did the opposite as Kuroko stumbled forward with a whimper, his back renewed with the burning pain. He flinched when he heard a high-pitched chuckle from behind him.

Kuroko Ibuki watched from the sidelines, her eyes boring into her son's head. _What's her motive? _Kuroko thought wildly. _Why is she watching me? Why is she doing nothing? _

This was the main reason why the teal-haired boy was so distracted. His brain kept on screaming fear, and he could hardly move in the mock games without goose bumps running down his back. Also, his injuries were starting to open up. Just as Akashi had said, his wounds weren't ready to take on vigorous exercise.

"Take it from the top!" Riko ordered. "Kuroko, pay more attention!"

"Hey . . . Coach?" Koganei, who was benched for the mock matches, leaned forward to whisper in Riko's ear. "Is it just me, or is Kuroko slightly limping?"

Seirin's coach looked at the court; more specifically, at the shortest boy. Now that it was mentioned, Kuroko _was_ limping, and he wasn't running as fast as he would to pass. How come she hadn't noticed it before? "That's—"

"Excuse me." A woman's voice interrupted the both of them. Koganei and Aida turned around to address the teal-haired woman. Riko automatically detected the overly-sweet, fake smile the lady wore. For some reason, the coach was cautious around her. It seemed too unreal for a mother to be that different personality-wise from her son. "Can you please pause the game?"

"Pause the game?" Riko raised an eyebrow. "We can't pause a game."

"Pause it, please," the woman said again, this time with a warning tone.

Aida twitched her eye in annoyance. Well, you have to listen to the parents, she thought, even though the idea irked her. "Stop!" she yelled at the players. Everyone froze in mid-position.

"Why did we stop, Riko-san?" Kuroko asked calmly, but fear flashed in his blue eyes.

Ibuki stepped on the court with a smile. Her son unconsciously took a step back. "My apologies, everyone, but I'd like to take Tetsu home now."

"Hah?" Kagami protested. "You can't just take him home, now! Practice isn't even almost over!" Ibuki shot him a dangerous glare. He quieted down. There was something off about her that made Seirin's ace wary. It was almost as scary as Akashi, but it came off as a different vibe.

"O-Okaa-san?" Kuroko timidly spoke. "I'd like to stay until the end." _Stall. Don't go home, _his common sense ordered him. _Someone will come. _

His mother's sweet face turned sour. Her eyes became wild, and the smile she gave off to everyone formed into something feral. "You dare disobey me, Tetsuya?" she threw her head back and laughed. It was a laugh that made everyone want to run and escape. "That's right. You missed your lesson in manners when you ran away from me the other day," her tone lowered that sounded more humane, but angrier, "Don't worry, Tetsuya-_kun_. I'll make sure you won't miss the lesson when I get you home."

Kuroko stood frozen in the middle of the court. His eyes were fixed on his mother's face, wide and radiating fear. The small teen's frame shook horror at his mother's words. Tears of panic pricked at his eyes. Flashes of Ibuki's past "lessons" overtook Kuroko's brain. He could hear the screams, feel the pain, smell the hatred, see his broken bones; the screaming, the insults, the desperation, the agony, the torture, the bruises, the weapons, the blood. He started gasping, his mind transfixed on the past: His tears, his abhorrence, his cries, his yells, her hate, her eyes, her hands, her feet, her disappointment, her anger, his need for help, _help, help, help_—

"_Kuroko Ibuki."_ The loud, commanding voice snapped the panicking teen back to reality. In fact, it seemed to snap everybody out of a trance. All of Seirin and Ibuki turned their heads toward the interrupting voice. His heart leaped to his throat when he saw Akashi, along with Midorima and his father. _They're here. I'm safe, _was the first thing he thought.

Akashi surveyed the silent basketball team, gave Ibuki a short glance, and then turned his stare to Kuroko. It looked as if he had come on time because the teal-haired boy looked like he was on the verge of a panic attack. Akashi noticed he was standing in a strange position, favoring the left leg more than the right, and his back was hunched a bit to relieve the pain that had started ever since he started playing basketball. He shook his head in disapproval.

"And you are?" Ibuki was angry at the fact a boy her son's age would address her by her first name.

"That information is not necessary," Akashi replied indifferently. "Tetsuya. Go to Shintaro. Now."

Kuroko found his body moving at the command. He limped behind Akashi to the waiting shooter. Midorima immediately grabbed him by the shoulders to steady him when he started to sway. "I have the first-aid kit. Let me tend to your wounds again," he said quietly in the ear of Kuroko. He received a nod. Since it didn't look like the short boy could walk anymore, Midorima bent down and picked up Kuroko as if he weighed nothing (which was almost true. His weight was nothing for his age). He and the injured passer walked back to the benches, away from the hated mother.

"Haru, what is the meaning of this?" Ibuki demanded. "Tell them to give Tetsuya back. We're taking him home."

"Ibuki," Haru said quietly. "I know you're upset but—"

"Tetsuya will be staying at my house," Akashi announced. "We have a project to work on. It would be much more convenient if he were to stay." The lie came out so smooth, so convincing that it was hard not to believe him. It didn't even matter that Seirin's basketball team knew Akashi went to a different school than them.

Kuroko's mother glared at the daring teen. "Tetsuya did not inform me about this. He never received permission."

"No . . . but he did tell me," Haru bluffed as well. "I gave him permission."

"Then I'm taking that permission back!" Ibuki raised her voice hysterically. "_I _make the rules. Tetsuya needs to go back home."

Akashi tilted his head. "And why does he need to go back?"

"He needs to be with his family!"

The red-head's face darkened. His voice changed. "If you say the word 'family' again," he murmured, and a small smile came onto his face. "I will not hesitate to hurt you."

The aura Akashi emitted had even Ibuki stepping back in fear for a second. But then she reminded herself he was only a teenager, and she, who was an adult and had the most influence in Japan, outranked him. "Give Tetsuya back to me."

Rakuzan's ace pretended to think about it. "No."

"Enough of this, Ibuki!" Haru said firmly. "Tetsuya's education is more important than anything else. If he has a project to do, he has the right to do it."

Hyuuga, whose suspicions were confirmed about the woman being crazy, stepped in and said, "Yeah. The project is practically half of our grade. Let Kuroko do it."

"What's wrong with letting Kuroko stay at his house?" Kagami asked, glaring at the woman.

Kuroko's mother shot death glares to everyone in the gym. "You will all regret this," she hissed. She grabbed her purse and stalked out of the building, the gym door slamming behind her dramatically.

Haru let out a sigh of relief.

Seirin's basketball team were only confused and happy that the hysterical woman was gone.

Akashi, however, didn't feel a single bit of relief as he turned around and started to walk toward the injured boy being tended by Midorima. His shirt had been stripped, revealing the bruises and infected gashes that had been reopened on his back from the strain he put on it today. The captain loomed over the whimpering boy, watching the teen deal with the stinging pain Midorima added when applying the disinfectant.

"A-Akashi-kun," Kuroko managed to say.

The said teen knelt down to be face to face with the number-one passer. "You disobeyed me, Tetsuya."

Kuroko looked down, frustrated with himself that he had made such a stupid decision. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"This had better not happen again," Akashi warned. He grabbed the pale boy's chin and tilted it up. "Now you know why I didn't let you go. Not only did your mother find you, but your wounds are now reopened and infected. You have no one to blame but yourself."

The tears that he had been fighting to keep back overflowed and spilled over his cheeks. He attempted to wipe them off, but the droplets kept coming. "I-I'm sorry," Kuroko tried to say. "I will repay b-back any inconvenience I've made on Akashi-kun and M-Midorima-kun."

Akashi seated himself on the bench. With a sigh, he gently took in the smaller boy into an embrace, careful not to interrupt Midorima's aiding. Kuroko made no move to clutch onto his holder, but he did accept the warm body and leaned his head against the muscular chest.

A loud gasp came from behind them. Riko Aida looked at Kuroko's injuries with a hand over her mouth. The basketball players looked on with wide eyes. "Oh my gosh," she cried. "What happened to him?"

Akashi's arms tightened over the stiffened Kuroko. The red-head knew he didn't want more people to know about his family. He immediately came up with a lie and said, "This is the result of bullying. A coward came up to Tetsuya the other day," he looked at them through his red eye. "I took care of it." Seirin shivered.

"All this from one person?" Aida asked in disbelief. "How awful! What did Kuroko ever do to him?"

"No wonder he was acting weird today," Kagami said, upset he didn't know his own partner was injured. "And he was limping. Damn it, I should have noticed sooner!"

"Indeed you should have," Akashi said. "As teammates, you should know when another is hurt. If ties between teammates are this weak in Seirin, you will not become strong."

Teppei protested, "Hey! We were all focused on practicing for Kaijou's match. Kuroko hid it well from us."

Midorima tied the last of the bandages around Kuroko's leg. His head bandages didn't need to be changed, but Kuroko's right leg was not healing properly as he had thought. "It doesn't matter if he hid it from you or not," the green-head said. "You should have at least noticed how much that woman affected him."

Akashi adjusted the teal-haired boy in a much more comfortable position. He had fallen asleep during his crying and now slept with a more peaceful look on his face. "But, wasn't that Kuroko's mother?" Koganei asked, confused. "Why would he be scared of his mother?"

_"That_ is not your business to know."

"Hey!" Kagami glared at the former captain of Teiko. "Kuroko is on _our _team, so that means he's _ours_. We have the right to know!"

"You're wrong," both Akashi and Midorima said. "He's not yours. _He's ours."_

_(Reviews please! Thank you so much for your support!)_


	7. Chapter 7

Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form

Chapter 7

Akashi had carried Kuroko back home that night. Midorima followed closely behind, busy with talking to his captain and apologizing profusely for missing practice. Haru had been sent home, reluctantly, since he was not looking forward to meeting his wife. Seirin, who did not get an answer from neither Akashi nor Midorima, went home angrily.

Kuroko sighed in Akashi's arms; his body unconsciously moved closer to the warm chest. The red head kissed the clammy forehead.

When Shintaro opened the door, the three were greeted with the rest of the Generation of Miracles. Mursakibara, Kise, and Aomine all rushed at them, their questions jumbled together at once:

"Is Kurokocchi okay?" Kise wailed.

"Aka-chin! What happened to Kuro-chin?"

"Damn it! Of course something happens when I'm alone with Tetsu."

Akashi ignored them and walked past the tall players. They scrambled out of their way to make a path for the silent teen. Kuroko's head flopped against his shoulder. "Shintaro, please open the door," the red-head requested in front of his bedroom. Midorima obeyed. He turned the door knob and pushed open the door to the bedroom. Automatic lights turned on when they stepped in the room.

Kuroko was set under the bed covers gently. Midorima had given him a numbing ointment so that his back wouldn't bother him during the night. Akashi tucked the blankets tight under Kuroko's chin, knowing it would be a cold night. Then he ran a hand through the messy, teal hair and kissed his forehead tenderly.

Satisfied nothing would bother Kuroko (except, maybe nightmares), Akashi turned around to greet the Generation of Miracles members crowded at the entrance. "You will be quiet for tonight," he warned. "Tetsuya has had a long day, and he is not to be disturbed. All of you go to the living room. We will discuss there."

Everyone shuffled away from the red-head and turned into the living room. Only Murasakibara stayed behind with Akashi. "Aka-chin," he whispered as the said boy closed the door cautiously.

"Yes, Atsushi?"

"Can—can you make me something?" the taller mumbled. "Since my training menu was extended, I left late when I heard about Kuro-chin. I didn't get to eat. And I'm out of money to buy snacks."

A smile came onto Akashi's face, but he clucked his tongue. "You should not be eating snacks when you're hungry anyway, Atsushi," he lightly reprimanded the purple-haired as they walked together to the living room. Murasakibara pouted but sullenly agreed. He rolled his eyes, "But since you carried out your training menu fully . . . Yes, I will make you something."

The tallest in the room smiled widely. "Thank you, Aka-chin!"

"In fact, are you all hungry?" He received nods. "I might as well make something." Akashi sighed deeply. "Daiki." The quivering teen snapped his head up at the sound of his name. "Come with me."

Everyone gave the tanned player a sympathetic look. He nervously stood up from the couch and followed the red-head into the kitchen. The kitchen floor felt cold to his bare feet, but it cleared his frozen mind to think of some arguments to defend himself. Warily, he looked around the simple-looking kitchen. More specifically, he looked for sharp objects. _There's_ _a knife near the sink_, Aomine observed, _I better stay clear of that_. But what was most deadly was the mocking, black pair of scissors that sat right next to the microwave. It glinted evilly.

Akashi struggled to say composed when he saw his "underling's" expression. Daiki was obviously horrified at the thought of being alone with him in the kitchen. As he should be, since he had many activities planned out for him in the upcoming days. After all, it was partially his fault Tetsuya managed to escape and get hurt.

"Daiki," he murmured. He reached over to turn on the stove to a high temperature. "There should be a plot in the cabinet next to you. Please hand it over."

"P-plot?" Aomine stammered.

Akashi tilted his head. "Plot? No, I said 'pot'."

_No, he definitely said plot! He's plotting something, probably my death. _Cold sweat ran down Aomine's back. He did what he was told and handed the pot into Akashi's waiting hand.

Their time in the kitchen was silent, except for the occasional orders of cutting the carrots or bringing out some ingredients. To Akashi, the silence was comfortable and satisfying. To Aomine, it was suffocating and awkward. Finally, just as the miso soup was almost ready and the rice was served nicely in small bowls, he finally spoke, "Do you agree that today's happenings were completely your fault?" He asked it casually, as if he were talking about the weather.

"Completely my fault?" Aomine's left eye twitched in both annoyance and fear. "No! It's Tetsu's fault, too! He should have used his damn brain and listened to all of us!"

Akashi made a small sound, it was between the sound of disapproval and agreement, and turned off the stove. A delicious aroma drifted around the kitchen. "It is true Tetsuya disobeyed me. However," he glanced at Aomine briefly from the corner of his eye. "It is your fault for giving him a chance to go against my orders. Who was it, exactly, who decided to take a nap while guarding Tetsuya?"

Daiki's face warmed. "M-me."

"And who was it who let Tetsuya escape from my home and go to practice, and then waited an hour after to inform me of this?" He walked passed Aomine to grab the bowls for the miso.

The scolded teen had his face flushed his anger and embarrassment. Damn! Why did he think a nap was harmless? It was obviously not when you were apparently guarding your shadow of a teammate who practically had the presence of a ghost. "All right, it was me," he admitted exasperated. "What's your point?"

Akashi finished serving the last of the miso soup and set the bowls on the tray. "My point, Daiki, is that I have talked to your captain and convinced him to quadruple—"

"_Quadruple_?" Aomine shouted. A pair of scissors flew by his ear dangerously before planting itself to the wall behind him. He squeaked.

"Quiet. Yes, quadruple. Your training menu will be four times as much for the next two weeks. And," Akashi held up his hand when the blue-head was about to protest, "you'll be tending to all my house needs for a week. Meaning you will come here after your training and do the multiple household activities I will be planning for you. _Also,_" he emphasized so that Aomine wouldn't interrupt. "This."

Akashi pulled out a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to his former teammate. Aomine took it, unfolded it, and read it out loud: "Thank you for generously volunteering, Aomine Daiki. As you have applied, your volunteer hours for _Yoshiro's Kindergarten _will be from _1-4 PM on the weekends_?" Aomine lowered the paper with a gaping mouth. "You can't be serious, Akashi!"

"I am. I'm sure working with younger kids will make you think about anything _but_ napping." He smiled at the shocked teenager. "I have heard Yoshiro was known for their . . . troublemakers."

Aomine blinked hard and stared wide at Akashi's serious face. He wasn't really going to do this, right? Akashi wasn't _that_ evil, right? It was all a joke_, right?_ He groaned internally. Now having faced his sentences, he would much rather have Akashi stab him with scissors. He was _horrible_ with little kids, and the red-head knew that.

"Come on, Akashi, I'll do the rest, but I'm not volunteering for a kindergarten!" he protested.

"Oh?" The hetero-eyed teen glanced at him while setting the tableware on the tray. "You would dare go against my orders?"

Aomine remained silent.

"I'm starving," Kise said excitedly. "Uw-a-h, Akashicchi is such a good cook! Itadakimasu!" The blonde grabbed his chopsticks and greedily ate a mouthful of rice.

"Itadakimasu," Midorima said politely and ate with small portions. He had just finished wrapping his left hand again, for good luck.

Murasakibara didn't even comment before he shoved most of his food in his mouth, his cheeks slowly growing into that of a chipmunk. Akashi had to tell him to slow down and eat in smaller bites.

Aomine sulked in a corner, barely touching his meal. Both he and Akashi had come back into the living in, a sullen expression on the taller and a satisfied expression on the shorter. The Generation of Miracles were only glad Aomine was alive. "Neh, Mine-chin?" Murasakibara tugged on his shirt.

The said boy turned with a glare. "What?"

"Are you going to eat that?" he mumbled, pointing at the untouched miso soup.

Teiko's previous ace sighed and shook his head. "You can have it."

Atsushi's eyes lit up like a little kid. He immediately dived for the soup and rice, half of its content already in the large, waiting mouth. Akashi shook his head and waited for his old team to finish their meal, or meals for Murasakibara.

"Ah," Kise sighed and flopped against the couch. "I'm stuffed!"

"Thank you for the meal, Akashi," Midorima said.

"Thanks, Aka-chin!"

"Hm," was the only reply they received. "I assume that you now want to talk?"

"Yeah," the blonde nodded vigorously. "What happened to Kurokocchi? Did he," Kise stopped in mid-sentence to swallow, "Did he get hurt, again?"

It was Midorima who answered the hesitant question, "No, Kuroko did not get hurt, again. Though his wounds did reopen from early exercise. His injuries couldn't take the movement, yet."

"He disobeyed me," Akashi muttered. The Generation of Miracles winced. "Kuroko Ibuki was there when I arrived."

This information was awarded with horrified gasps. As mentioned before, they all knew who caused Kuroko's pain from day to day. The name was unfortunately branded into their brain. The woman who looked so much like her son, but lacked so much personality-wise was forever imprinted in their mind as a memory.

"Neh . . . I just noticed," Kise said. "Kuroko Ibuki . . . Isn't Ibuki a male name? And isn't the name 'Ibuki' usually a surname? Why would Kurokocchi's mother have Ibuki as her given name?"

"Yes," Akashi agreed. His slender fingers tapped against the low, dining room table. "I noticed that awhile ago, too, when I studied the most influencing woman in Japan." A cold smirk curved on Akashi's lips. "This is all part of my plan."

**~Setting Skip~**

Kagami and Riko silently slipped through the office door. In their hands was a thick, blue folder, the name** Kuroko Tetsuya** imprinted in large letters on the top right corner. Both of them made a mad dash down the hallway. Through the double doors, a silver car was waiting for them in front. Junpei Hyuuga sat in the driver's seat.

"Did you guys get it?" the second year asked as Kagami slipped in the back seat and Riko went to the front.

"Yeah," Seirin's coach waved the folder in his face. "Piece of cake. The lock was easy to pick."

"If I get in trouble for this," Kagami muttered, "I'm going to drag you two down with me."

Hyuuga changed gears and smoothly drove out of the school's parking lot. "Relax, Kagami. We won't get caught. Not with Riko on our side."

Kagami wasn't reassured.

Soon they all arrived at Kagami's large complex. The rest of Seirin's basketball team cluttered around Kagami's door, waiting for the three to come and unlock it. They had all received the text and cancelled their plans to meet on their free day. After all, the occasion was important.

"Don't break anything," Seirin's ace warned and opened his apartment complex's door. They ran inside.

After seating arrangements were settled, and Kagami made tea for everyone, Riko presented the thick folder in the middle of their circle. She sat down with it. "Are you sure we should do this?" Furihata asked nervously.

"Of course," Teppei said. "If the Generation of Miracles won't tell us, then we have to find out ourselves. We have the right to know about Kuroko."

Everybody else agreed.

Shortly after, pieces of Kuroko's life were revealed to them. His middle school grades, the activities and clubs he had joined, his records, and his report cards. One report card caught Riko's eye. "Take a look at this," she announced. She had Kuroko's last year of middle school report card in her hands. In the commentary section, Kuroko's homeroom teacher made many comments. "Lack of presence," Riko read aloud. "Sometimes difficult to locate him. Good grades. Comes in everyday with injuries, though."

"This has been happening since middle school?" Koganei cried.

"Look, all of the other report cards mention some type of injury!" Kagami reported.

Riko continued to read out the comments: "Has started interacting with Shogo Haisaki. Part of basketball team. Bad influence?"

"Shogo Haisaki," Teppei repeated. "Why does that sound so familiar?"

"I don't know," the coach of Seirin said. She set the report card down and grabbed her phone. A frown was on her face. "But we're going to look him up and find him."

(I'm sorry nothing much happened in this chapter! But I need the plot to be set up now, and it's starting to develop nicely :))


	8. Chapter 8

**Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form**

**Chapter 8**

Seirin's basketball team crowded at a small table in a comfy restaurant. Each player was jittery, nervous, and expectant. They were expecting Shogo Haisaki.

After Riko's expert researching, they had managed to track down Haisaki from Teiko. Apparently, he was attending the high school they would be competing against, soon. The picture they found of him was frightening. A tall, grey-haired teen that looked violent at first glance. His past records show that he had been expelled from a number of schools for fights.

_Kuroko was hanging around a guy like that?_ They all wondered.

Haisaki had replied hours after Seirin's coach emailed him. He agreed to meet at this small restaurant.

"He's late!" Teppei exclaimed.

"By an hour," Kagami grumbled.

Hyuuga glowered. "Be patient."

Suddenly, Koganei jumped up and pointed, "Hey! Isn't that him?" Everybody turned to the front door.

Sure enough, Shogo Haisaki appeared at the doorway, clearly intimidating the stuttering waiters. He glared at him, and they quickly shooed away with a squeak. The violent teen scanned through the crowds in the restaurant, until he landed his eyes on them.

"Are you guys Seirin?" he growled.

**~Setting Skip~**

Kuroko stared at the meal before him in disgust. Though the aroma around the room smelled delicious, the contents told a different story. It was an American meal: A fat, juicy steak cut into small pieces, a serving of spinach on the side, a small portion of mashed potatoes, and a cup of _iced_ water. That's right; there was no _tea_, which was usually served with lunch or dinner, which was supposed to help with digestion! On a small plate beside the disgusting main dish, broccoli and peas were served.

Akashi stared amused at the expression on the smaller boy's face. He sat on the edge of the bed, Kuroko in the middle of it, with his arms and legs crossed. A large tray sat on top of Kuroko's lap. "I've heard American food helps you gain weight," he said, "While I disagree with some of the food selection, I do see how this can be more nutritious than a standard Japanese meal."

Kuroko pushed the tray away from him. The sight of it made him nauseous. "I don't want to eat it," he muttered.

Akashi narrowed his eyes and forced the tray back onto his lap. "You will eat everything," he commanded. "No excuses."

Kuroko _almost_ pouted. "Everything?" he touched the foreign meat to see if it would move. It didn't.

"Yes, everything. I expect not to see a single crumb on both those plates." He glared at Kuroko. "It is also part of your . . . punishment for disobeying me."

Kuroko's face pinked and he looked off to the side in shame. When he had woken up this morning, Akashi had been waiting at the foot of the bed. He had immediately gone into detail what his 'punishments' were for going against his orders and sneaking out. He was to not, first of all, under any circumstances, get out of bed unless if it was for the restroom. It didn't matter if his legs were numb, if his muscles ached, or if he was simply bored, Kuroko was not to get out of the bed. If he did, one of the Generation of Miracles would drag him back.

Akashi stayed true to his word. Just two hours ago, when Kuroko was feeling restless from simply staying in bed all day, tried to sneak out of the bedroom just to get some fresh air. Unfortunately, before he could even make it to the living room, Akashi appeared behind him and _carried_ the poor boy all the way back to bed.

Then, an hour later, Kuroko tried again when he was sure Akashi had gone out to go grocery shopping. It was Murasakibara who stopped him that time.

Now knowing it was useless, the teal-haired boy stopped his little escapades.

His second "punishment" was that he had to eat everything Akashi cooked for him. Everything, to the last crumb. It was simply torture to the skinny teen. Akashi tended to serve in large portions, and he purposely made foods he did not like, but were healthy for him. He had also been _refused_ of his favorite vanilla shakes, which almost killed Kuroko then.

And finally, his last retribution from his torture list was to apologize to his father, which Kuroko was going to do anyway. He knew his father worked hard for him, and he hated to always be a burden. For him to skip work to come for the sake of his health made him guilty.

Kuroko had made sure to call at noon because he knew his mother would not be home at that time. His father picked up, and the two of them had a quiet and long and _relaxing_discussion.

"I don't think I can finish this, Akashi-kun."

"You will finish it," Akashi said firmly. "I made sure to give the right amount of servings for you."

Kuroko glumly started eating. The red-head fought against a smile at the childish expression the passer had on his face. He leaned over and ruffled the teal locks. Kuroko looked at him with wide, puppy-like eyes. Akashi only shook his head and pointed to the meal.

Forty-five torturous minutes later, Kuroko managed to eat everything. He had also finished his iced water, but that was more due to the fact of desperately drinking it to get rid of the disgusting taste of spinach, broccoli, and peas.

"Good job," Akashi praised, evilly flicked Kuroko's forehead and picked up the tray to wash it in the kitchen.

The small teen leaned back against the large pillows, rubbing the attacked part on his forehead. He felt so full, the thought of food made him sick. Kuroko groaned quietly and put two pale hands over his face. Why did he disobey Akashi? _Nothing_ got through the red-head, so why had he even think of sneaking out the other day?

Akashi smirked at Kuroko's antics. _Looks like Tetsuya's starting to regret his choices_, he observed. _Good_. He slipped out of the bedroom and walked back to the kitchen to place the dishes in the sink. "Daiki," he called.

The tanned teen appeared at the front of the kitchen. Embarrassingly, Aomine actually had housemaid _clothing_ on. He wore a cleaning apron, and a "bandana" was placed on top of his head. In his hands, he held a mop. "Yes, Akashi?" he asked tiredly.

Akashi studied the obviously exhausted teen before taking pity on him, "Clean those dishes, and then you're done for the day."

Relief filled Aomine's eyes. "Thank God," he muttered. He slipped passed the red-head to prepare to wash the dishes. His day had gone spiraling down since morning. Akashi had him first vacuum every single room in his ridiculously large complex, then to dust every corner in the living room. After he cleaned all the windows until you could see your reflection in daylight. He knew he got it easy, today, though. Akashi had yet to give him bathroom duties.

At one, he was forced to attend the Yoshiro's Kindergarten. He had come in with a confident spirit, firmly believing little kids weren't all that bad, and came out broken, tired, and horrified. _Troublemakers,_ as Akashi called them, was an understatement. It was more like Devil's Little Helpers with their little "cute" uniforms" and their "cute" yellow hats. He was spat on, climbed on, complained to, snacked on, and _kicked_.

_How will I survive a whole week volunteering there? _Aomine groaned.

Akashi left Daiki to do his final job for the day and went back to the living room. School was tomorrow, so Shintaro, Ryouta, and Atsushi all went back home. Daiki would be going home soon, too, after he finished with his task.

_Kuroko and I will be the only ones here, _Akashi analyzed. _Which means I only have this time now to finish my business._

He quickly pulled out his phone and dialed in an unknown number. The receiver picked up on the first ring, "Seijuro-kun."

"Kaoru," he replied to his long-time acquaintance. "I have a question I want you to answer."

Yoshida Kaoru, a young man introduced to Akashi through his parents. He was the only person-when they were young-to actually not obey any of the ridiculous orders Akashi usually gave to his "friends". That was not to say that the man was not _afraid _of the red-head, but that was more due to the fact Akashi's parents were connected to Kaoru's parents. Being six years older than Akashi, the young man was well on his way to owning his small branch of the large business incorporation.

"Yes?"

"Who is your boss?" Akashi asked bluntly.

"My boss?" There was silence before, "Seijuro-kun, you know my parents are my commanders for now."

"No. I am asking about the owner. You are about to own a small branch, correct? Who is the owner of _all_ the branches, including the main branch?"

Kaoru didn't answer for awhile, and all Akashi could hear was the shuffling of papers. "That would be . . . Suzuki Akihiko," he answered. "He's the owner of the whole business."

_He. _Hm, it must have meant Kaoru had yet to see his "boss" if he thought the owner was a _he_. "Interesting," Akashi murmured. He took out a notepad and pen.

"Akashi, I'm heading out," Daiki announced as he left the kitchen in his normal clothes.

The red-head only nodded absently. "Kaoru, will you spell out the name for me?" Kaoru read out the letters, and he wrote down each Japanese character of the name. He studied the name.

A curved smirk became present on his face. Yet another male given name.

**~Setting Skip~**

Kuroko tried hard to sleep. It was the only thing he could really do, besides reading. The books Akashi brought him were incredibly dull and boring. He could hear some murmurings through the closed bedroom door and assumed Akashi was busy with someone.

He lied back down with a deep sigh. How did this happen? Again, he depended on the Generation of Miracles. Since the very first time he was injured during his first year of middle school, every one of the members of the first string helped him; protected him; healed him. For once, he wanted to do something for them. For Midorima-kun, Murasakibara-kun, Aomine-kun, Kise-kun, and most importantly, for Akashi-kun, who has done so much more than he deserved.

Kuroko blushed at the thought of Akashi. Lately, the former captain had been affectionate—more than usual—to him. Despite what he says, Kuroko did care deeply for Akashi. He was the first to hold out his hand in the midst of his beatings, the first to discover his talent, and the first to figure his relationship between his mother and him.

A vibrating sound next to Kuroko make him jump. He grabbed his phone, wondering who could be calling him at this time. He stupidly did not check the caller ID and answered the phone: "This is Kuroko."

"Tetsu-kun," a dreaded, familiar voice purred through the line. Kuroko's eyes widened. His body movement stilled. "Good boy, Tetsu-kun. You picked up your phone. I've missed you _so very much_."

Panicked gulps started to develop. Kuroko's hand turned white from holding the cell phone too tight. He couldn't even shake from fear because he was too afraid to move. His mouth refused to open, and his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. Kuroko looked like a statue; frozen, sitting up against the pillows, with a cell phone glued to his ear by a hand.

"How are your injuries?" Ibuki hummed, not bothering an answer from her son. "I saw you limping the other day when I came to see you practice. My poor baby, are you all right?"

_You don't care, you don't care, you don't care, _Kuroko chanted in his head. _Hang up. Hang up. Hang up—_

"By the way," Kuroko's mother turned her tone into something dangerous. "There was a teenager that rudely defied me the other day . . . He even threatened me, your dear mother. He should be taught a lesson—"

"Don't hurt Akashi-kun!" the small teen finally cried out. At the thought of Akashi, all movements were available to him, and the only thing on his mind was to defend and protect the red-head. "He has nothing to do with this!"

Ibuki stayed silent, contemplating on what her son just protested. "Oh? You actually ordered me to do something?" she finally hissed. "It looks like this "Akashi" is important to you."

Kuroko didn't get to answer. He never got the chance. The bedroom door slammed open, and out appeared the devil himself: Akashi. "Tetsuya, what was that? Who are you talking to?"

The said teen turned to look at Akashi. Then the shaking started.

"Aka—shi-kun," Kuroko whispered. "Okaa-Okaa-san—hurt—phone—threat—I _can't_," the distressed boy couldn't form a complete sentence. Akashi stood still, startled, before he strode in the room. His eyes were on the cell phone.

"Is Tetsu-kun crying?" Ibuki taunted. "Oh, how I want to see those beautiful tears—"

The phone was yanked out of Kuroko's hands. A strong arm wrapped around his shoulders and pulled him in against a muscular body. The warmth was inviting. With Kuroko cradled next to his body, Akashi put the phone to his ear and announced loudly, "Kuroko Ibuki. How do you fair?"

Ibuki immediately screeched on the other line, "It's _you_, isn't it? Isn't it? You're that unruly brat who dared to defy me! And threaten me! How dare you take Tetsu away from me, _you will pay_!"

"Me? I, Akashi Seijuro, will pay? You poor woman," he murmured silkily into the phone. "You will be the one to regret your decisions, Kuroko Ibuki. I do not care of your power nor your influence. A single secret from you is all I need to destroy you."

Kuroko's mother refused to let her fear show in her voice, "What are you going to do, boy? You're just a brat. Akashi Seijuro, you say? Your parents are acquaintances of mine."

"It would not do you well to involve my father and mother," Akashi warned. "No matter how many connections you have, my parents are most powerful in law. They will not fall for your schemes." When Ibuki didn't reply, he said, "I do hope you are prepared for the long battle I prepared, Kuroko Ibuki. I do not intend to be brought down that easily." He hung up.

"No, Akashi-kun," Kuroko said, alarmed. "You'll get hurt." Akashi, now finished with his business, turned all his attention Kuroko. He scooped him up easily and sat him down in front of his open legs. Kuroko sat quietly, studying Akashi with confused eyes. Akashi's eyes stared back, inviting.

Instantly, Akashi's arms were engulfed by him. Tears soaked his red shirt as Kuroko cried onto his shoulder. He tightened his hold on the broken teen, and felt the back of his shirt being clutched. Unlike the other times, Kuroko's sobs were not loud and painful, but soft and quiet, almost as if he were holding everything inside. Akashi unconsciously patted the teal-colored head.

_Do you know how much pain you cause, Kuroko Ibuki? _Akashi asked bitterly in his mind. _Or you are aware, but you simply relish this pain as your entertainment._

"It's all right," he said quietly. "You are safe. She is not here. And will not be for the next couple of days." Kuroko's cries did not stop. In fact, the hold Kuroko had him in tightened. "Tetsuya." Akashi decided to change tactics. His controlling, authoritative figure would help in this situation. He physically pried Kuroko free from his arms and grabbed the wet chin. "Look at me."

Kuroko did. The expression on his face made Akashi swallow, but he stayed firm. "Stop crying." Two thumbs went over Kuroko's cheeks to wipe away the tears. This process repeated over and over until the tears stop flowing. What was left was a very exhausted Kuroko. The thumbs were replaced by hands. Akashi's large hands went to both of the sides of the boy's pale face. Kuroko leaned into the hold. "No one is allowed to make you cry. I am the only one allowed. I am the only one who is allowed to cause you pain, cause your tears, and cause you your suffering. No one else. _You are mine, Tetsuya."_

Kuroko didn't protest.

(Thank you for the continuous support. Seriously, this is the reason why I update so quickly! I usually never do this on Wattpad! Thank you so much for the reviews. I'm trying to get this story more popular, so thank you:) )


	9. Chapter 9

**Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form**

**Chapter 9**

Kuroko leaned against the headboard. Now that his back was starting to heal, he didn't the need the ridiculous amount of pillows to support him. In fact, all of his injuries were healing nicely. He did not need bandages around his head anymore, nor on his legs, but he still limped every time he walked (Akashi noticed this when he caught Kuroko, once _again_, trying to get out of bed).

A fat book lied on the small teen's lap. It rambled in small letters about Japan's geography. Kuroko tried to read the first paragraph, and then stopped halfway. It was the only book that looked interesting, and since geography was one of his best subjects, he thought he would understand it a bit more than the other advanced college books Akashi mysteriously owned.

"Tetsuya."

At the sound of his name, Kuroko snapped his head up. Akashi raised an eyebrow at the dark circles seen under the blank, blue eyes. The night Ibuki called her son, Kuroko woke up every once in a while with a nightmare. Akashi had slept beside him, knowing this would happen, and eased the boy back to sleep when it did. However, the circles under the hetero eyes weren't as obvious.

"Come with me," Akashi beckoned.

Kuroko leaned forward. "I can get out of bed?"

The red-head threw him an amused glance. "Yes, you can get out of bed."

Once the spoken permission was given, Kuroko was struggling to swing his legs over the edge to stand. He did this process a little too fast, though. His legs tangled with the blankets, Kuroko tried to stand but stumbled and almost hit the floor. If it wasn't for Akashi, he knew his face would be smashed against the carpet by now.

"Careful," Akashi said. "This was the reason why I had you stay in bed." His strong arms easily steadied the light-weight boy.

"Thank you," Kuroko said quietly and stepped out of Akashi's arms. He wanted to show he was not that dependent.

The former captain studied Kuroko for a few seconds. "Hm," he replied. "I did not have you come out of bed for no reason. Come with me; I want to show you something." He didn't wait for an answer and started out the bedroom door.

Curious, Kuroko limped after him. It felt good to walk more than a few steps without being 'caught'. Upon entering the living room, Kuroko's blue eyebrows flew up a few centimeters. The dining table was gone, and the two couches that had originally formed an "L" were pushed off to the side. Replacing the space, blue mats covered the floor. Some cushions were placed right outside the borders of the blue mats.

"What is this, Akashi-kun?"

"It's simply for your safety," Akashi said bluntly. He unzipped his jacket and took it off. A white, loose shirt hung from his body. Kuroko noticed he was also wearing comfortable sweats, which was unusual because the Generation of Miracles have only seen Akashi in either casual yet on the edge of formal outfits, his school uniform, or his basketball uniform. Even when he's sleeping, none of the members see him in anything else. "Take off your jacket."

Kuroko complied, bewildered at the situation. What were they going to do?

"You will be leaving my home the day after tomorrow," Akashi informed as he casually took off his socks. "Not only is the school anxious at your absence, but your mother," Kuroko shivered, "will start taking action if you are here too long for a simple project." He placed his socks on the floor and stepped onto the blue mats, facing Kuroko. "Your father will not always be there to protect you, and you cannot always run away with severe injuries. You also cannot prevent the surely upcoming wounds your mother will inflict." Kuroko flinched and looked down. "However, you can lessen the severity and quantity of those wounds." Akashi stepped back some steps. "Come at me, Tetsuya."

Kuroko blinked at the words. "E-excuse me, Akashi-kun?"

"Come at me," Akashi repeated. "Come as if you want to hurt me."

"But, I can't," he said blankly.

Akashi's eyes turned cold. "Yes, you can. This is an order; attack me."

Having no choice, Kuroko tentatively came at Akashi. He pulled his fist back and weakly swung at the red-head, knowing it wouldn't hurt him even if it struck. Akashi grabbed his pale wrist though and twisted it. Kuroko's arm was forced to obey the unnatural way of twisting and soon, his wrist was against the middle of his back. The way Akashi pushed on his joints made his body fall forward to his knees.

Akashi did this gently, knowing his injuries were still healing, but with enough strength to bring him down. The second Kuroko was on the ground, he released him. "It would take a grown man down if you pushed on his joints like that," Akashi commented. He helped Kuroko stand up. "I studied Martial Arts when I visited America years ago. My father also taught me Aikido at a young age."Akashi rolled his pants up to shin length. "I am not sure how much I can teach you in a day or two, but it should be enough for you to defend yourself." The red-head straightened, and a sadistic gleam glinted in his eyes. "_Sate_, come Tetsuya."

**~Setting Skip~**

Kuroko Ibuki sat behind her desk on a large, black chair. Engraved on a gold name tag, it read: _Abe Miku_. "Family" pictures sat on her desk for a good image. Whenever she had guests, the family pictures would immediately make them judge she was a good person. It was very easy to manipulate people.

Her face twisted into something disgusting at the thought of her Kuroko. Oh, how she wished to ruin that boy's innocence. Since she first laid eyes on her son, she detested him. Those large, blank eyes threw her off. Men had it so easy. What do the women get? Ridicules and laughs? A mop and a bucket? A scoff and an insult? It was degrading. But she had changed that. She was now one of the most influencing women in Japan, owning three large incorporations, having connections deeper than the government itself, and bypassing laws that couldn't even touch her.

Yet her son would not completely break. No matter how many times Ibuki had crushed him, insulted him, temporarily broke his spirit, someone always brought him back up. Someone always healed him. Her son's lack of presence, as well! She loathed him for that. Everyone who "cherished him", including his stupid father, could detect Kuroko with some effort. But she couldn't even see him unless his guard was down. It was as if he thought she wasn't worth showing himself to her; as if she wasn't good enough. That irked her to no ends.

Yes, she would break the thing that was called her son. She would make him see how much she was worth. But first, she had to get rid of his . . . healers.

Ibuki picked up the phone and pressed the number "5". Her secretary picked up: "Yes, Abe-san?"

"Nowaki," she said. "I want you to look up the members of this 'Generation of Miracles from Teiko Middle School, I believe."

"Generation of Miracles? My daughter knows of them."

Ibuki leaned forward over her desk. "Oh?"

"Yes, it seems they are a pretty popular basketball team. It's said their talents come every ten years."

"Who are these members?"

There was the sound of fingers tapping against keys. "Let's see, it shouldn't be that hard to find their articles . . . Ah! Found them."

Ibuki quickly pulled out a piece of paper and pen. Her hand was poised right on top of the piece of paper. "Tell me the names."

"Kise Ryouta," her secretary listed, "Aomine Daiki, Seijuro Akashi, Midorima Shintaro, Murasakibara Atsushi, and . . . there's a rumor that there was a phantom sixth player. Some of these articles say it's a boy named Kuroko Tetsuya."

The teal-haired woman wrote down the names hastily, not caring if she spelled them wrong. An atrocious smile touched her lips at the mention of her son's name. "Interesting."

**~Setting Skip~**

"Kuroko Tetsuya, eh?" Haisaki took a large bite from his hamburger. He chewed rudely with his mouth happen, but no one dared to complain. "Haven't heard that name in a while." He reached over and stole a couple of fries from Hyuuga, even though he had a box of fries himself. Hyuuga glared at the foreign player.

"Do you know him well?" Riko tried to ask politely.

"Know him?" he slurped his smoothie. "I guess I do. But I couldn't get too close to him. Damn Generation of Miracles always got in the way."

This information made the coach lean forward in excitement. "Do you know why they always got in the way? Anything trigger their overprotective behavior?

Haisaki looked at her strangely. "Hell no. They wouldn't tell me. Not that I give a shit or anything. Akashi kicked me out of the team before I could get any of the real details." He grabbed Kagami's hamburger and shoved it into his mouth. The red-head clenched and unclenched his hands, reminding himself that if he picked a fight with Haisaki, he would probably lose. "But, I did hear a rumor." He swallowed and then dumped more fries into his mouth.

"And what was that?" Teppei asked.

"That the Tetsu kid was abused."

**~Setting Skip~**

"Man," Kise complained. He was currently standing in a supermarket, at the spices section. A filled basket hung from his right wrist, while his left hand held a ripped piece of paper, most likely his shopping list."Kaa-san is going to kill me if I don't find the right spice for her." He scratched his head and bent down to read the names of each spice bottle. "They all look the same!" he helplessly cried. "It won't matter which one I buy." He picked a random bottle and dropped it in his basket.

The blonde happily checked off the last item. "And done!" he said gleefully.

"Excuse me."

A woman's voice had Kise look down. A fluff of teal-hair caught his attention, and at first he thought it was Kurokocchi going through puberty until he fully saw the woman's face. Much like Kuroko's, but much more feminine, and more cruel. Blue eyes stared at him as if he was lower than her, which made him feel intimidated. _Why does she look so familiar? _Kise questioned. _I swear I've seen her before—_

Then it clicked. Kuroko Ibuki. Kurokocchi's mother. The person who hurt his Kurokocchi was standing right in front of him. His happy mood melted instantly.

"Excuse me? Excuse me?" the woman repeated impatiently.

It took all of Kise's strength not to strangle the woman and yell at her about how many times she had hurt his Kurokocchi. It took even more strength to answer her, "Y-yes?"

"I've asked you more than three times to please bring down that large bottle of lemon-and-peper-spice," she said rudely. "Give it to me."

Kise eyed her outfit. She looked like she had just come home from her multiple jobs, with a professional suit and bag to go with it. Her name tag caught his eyes: _Abe Miku_ it read. He found it strange that she would have a different name tag than her other name, Kuroko Ibuki. _She has two names?_ Kise wondered.

The blonde looked at her square in the eye and said, "I can't."

Ibuki raised a blue eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"I don't want to," he repeated. "I'm in a rush anyway. Ask one of the workers to help you." Kise stepped to the side and walked past the shocked woman. He made sure to take long strides just in case she would go after him.

Ibuki didn't go after him, which was a relief. Kise paid for everything, told the cashier to keep the tip, and rushed outside with four bags in his hands. He transferred all the bags to his left hand, and took out his phone with his free hand. His thumb pressed over the number two, thanking the phone-making Gods for inventing speed dial, and pushed the call button.

He picked up on the third ring. "Ryouta."

"Akashicchi!" Kise cried. "She came—and she was all rude—and I actually defied her—and it was so weird, and strange, and I didn't like it, and—"

"Calm down and speak in clear sentences," Akashi interrupted. Kise closed his mouth. Now that he was quiet, he actually could hear the heavy pants from the other line.

"Akashicchi . . . What are you doing?"

"That is not for you to know. Is there a reason for calling me, Ryouta?"

Kise blinked. "Huh? Oh, yeah! I met Kurokocchi's mother just a few minutes ago!"

"What?" Akashi suddenly hissed. "Where?"

"Supermarket," Kise answered immediately.

"Did she say anything interesting to you?" The heavy pants got more distant on the phone, and Kise assumed Akashi was moving to a different room.

"No, she didn't recognize me. I think. But her nametag was weird."

"Weird how, Ryouta?"

Kise looked both ways before running across the street to reach his house. His phone almost slipped from his hand. "It—it had a different name to it. It didn't spell out Kuroko Ibuki."

Now he could hear a rustling of papers and the clicking of a pen. Akashi's voice came out slow and demanding, "What was the name?"

He tried to search his memories to remember the name. "Eto, A-Abe Miku, I think."

_"You think?_"

"I know, I mean!" Kise quickly changed his words. "It was Abe Miku. And it was spelled differently too." Kise listed the Japanese characters. Furious scribbling could be heard through the phone.

"Thank you, Ryouta. You will be rewarded." Akashi hung up.

Kise stared at his cell phone in disbelief. He knew Akashi usually hung up on him right away, but he could have at least said 'bye' in this situation. The blonde pouted. Everybody was so mean to him!

He decided to call Aomine to tell him about the news. He stopped right outside his house and dialed the number.

"Ugh, what is it, Kise?" a gruff voice asked sleepily. "I have seven bruises from those brats at the kindergarten. There better be a good reason for why you're interrupting my sleep."

"There is!" Kise said eagerly. "See, I just got off the phone with Akashicchi about Kurokocchi's mother, and Akashicchi was asking all these questions, and he was really recording down the name I saw—I mean, did you know Kurokocchi's mother had two names or something? What does that mean? Well, Akashicchi—" A dial tone filled Kise's ears. He blinked. "Eh?" He looked at his phone's screen, and in white letters, it read: Aominecchi Has Ended The Call. "Eh-h-h?" Kise cried. "Uwa-a-h! Aominecchi hung up on me! Why is everyone is mean?"

(Thank you for your reviews, guys! The last chapter had tons of reviews, haha. Anyway, when I first saw Akashi in the manga, I immediately thought Akashi would be the type of person to know Martial Arts and/or Aikido. He just seems like that type of agile and powerful person, no? And plus, in the Character Bible, he likes riding horses and Kuroko's best subject is geography xD. Anyway, thank you very much for your continuous support.)

~~  
I also will be writing a Christmas one/two-shot with all my favorite yaoi couples of Kuroko no Basuke, so look out for that! Yes, that means AkaKuro, AoKise, etc. :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form**

**Chapter 10**

**Please read the message at the bottom when you are done reading this chapter :) Thank you.**

***By the way, some people have been ****_rudely _****correcting me when I accidentally have Akashi call Kuroko "Kuroko". While I don't mind being corrected politely, I hate when people practically say I'm stupid for repeatedly making the same mistake.**

****Just to get your facts right, Akashi DOES sometimes call his former teammates by their last name. He has called Kuroko "Kuroko" before and Kise "Kise" before. Watch episode 8.**

"Faster," Akashi ordered. He sent a side kick toward the small boy. Kuroko, who was panting heavily, grabbed the leg and pulled. Even if it wasn't a strong pull, Akashi was forced forward. He fell toward the ground, but he rolled and stood back up to face the teal-haired teen. "That strength won't do it. I do not care if you do not want to hurt me, Tetsuya. Ibuki is larger than you, stronger; this is the only way you can defend yourself." Without giving time for the boy to answer, Akashi sent a punch toward Kuroko's stomach. It wasn't a hard punch, so that if Kuroko failed to use his techniques, it wouldn't hurt much if it struck.

Kuroko knew what to do though. He whirled out of the way, grabbed his wrist, and turned Akashi's body. With Akashi's wrist in an unnatural position, Kuroko pushed all the way, and the red-head was forced to fall to the ground. Akashi sprung back up. "Well done." Then he grabbed Tetsuya's wrists. Kuroko raised one hand up and the other hand down, stepped in the direction where his hand was pulled down, and added more pressure to pulling his hands up and down. Akashi was once against brought down.

For the past day and hours, Akashi had taught him numerous situations and what to do. He mostly taught him Aikido techniques, as it took less energy, defended without striking, and didn't hurt the opponent unless you wanted to. His movements weren't as efficient like when Akashi did it, but it was enough to bring someone down and time for him to run.

"Always be on your feet," Akashi said as he stood up. "If she brings you down, you stand back up, no matter your injuries. You are strongest on your feet, and you are vulnerable on your back."

Kuroko tiredly prepared for the next attack. They had been at it since morning, and Kuroko could feel fatigue pulling on his muscles. Akashi moved in as if he were about to attack, but he suddenly put a hand over Kuroko's head. The teal-haired boy looked up, confused. Akashi gave a light chuckle and ruffled his hair. "Well done," he praised. "We're done. You've learned enough."

Relief set onto Kuroko. Akashi caught him when he started to sway. "You did well," the red-head murmured in his ear. Kuroko's face pinked. "You can go shower. Your wounds should be closed, but be careful."

"Yes," Kuroko replied exhaustedly.

Kuroko somehow wobbled his way toward the large bathroom in Akashi's room. The cold floor took the small teen by surprise, and so did the many pair of scissors that hung on the wall. "Why does Akashi-kun have scissors on the wall?" he muttered.

Carefully, Kuroko took off his shirt and started to unwrap the bandages around his midsection. Midorima had wrapped it tightly and used many layers. Soon, all his bandages were on the bathroom floor, kicked into a corner to deal with later. Kuroko inspected his injuries through the mirror. The scratches on his back made from the dramatic fall had already closed up along with the large gash on his right leg. They were now all scabs. However, the bruises that ran up his arms and legs and bloomed around his ribs were only starting to heal; only some had _started_ to turn yellow. Kuroko winced at the sight of him.

"Tsk," Akashi clucked his tongue from behind him. Kuroko jumped and whirled. The red-head hung the pair of jeans, large polo shirt and, yes, red boxers on the rack. Then he turned and inspected Kuroko more closely. "The bruises seem slow to heal," he observed.

"Yes," Kuroko said quietly.

"Did they hurt you when you were fighting me?"

"No." It wasn't a lie. He never noticed the pain the bruises caused until the end, when his body started to get tired.

Akashi studied Kuroko's midsection. Kuroko flinched when a cool hand lightly brushed over his bruises on his stomach. It wasn't that it hurt; it was a simple reflex. It was a natural, short instinct. Yet, the fact that it was so _natural_ and so _simple_ for Kuroko made the small act heartbreaking. Akashi clenched his jaw and stepped back. "I will not hurt you, Tetsuya."

"I'm sorry," Kuroko whispered.

A hand patted his head. "Go shower, quickly. And be careful of your wounds."

"Hai."

Akashi closed the bathroom door to give the teal-haired boy some privacy. The bathroom did not have a lock, so it would be easy to come in if anything were to happen to his guest. Hopefully, that wouldn't be necessary.

"Now," he pulled out his cell phone. "Back to business."

He dialed a number and held it to his ear. The receiver picked up: "Ibuki Corporation, how can I help you?"

"I request to speak with the manager," Akashi said tersely.

"Please wait." There was a pause. "Watanabe Ichirou will now take your call."

The line was transferred to the manager. "This is Watanabe Ichirou."

"Ichirou," Akashi addressed rudely. "I'd like to know the name of the owner of all the branches."

"First name and no honorifics?" The manager grumbled over the phone. "Why should I answer to a rude brat like you? You could find it on the site."

"Hearing it from the real source would be more reliable," Akashi said absently. "My father is Akashi Hayato."

The manager's voice all of the sudden changed, "A-Akashi Ha-Hayato? You're his son?"

"Yes."

"O-oh! Well, ah," he gave out a nervous chuckle. Akashi rolled his eyes at the man's behavior. "Our owner is Kuroko Ibuki; you can tell by the name . . . If you don't mind me asking, why would you like to know?"

"I do mind," the red-head said. "Spell it for me."

The manager spelled it. Then said, "Look, if you're planning to destroy Kuroko-san for some reason, I advise you don't. It doesn't matter how powerful your parents are in law; nothing can stop Kuroko-san."

Akashi ripped out the paper with the names from the notepad and hid it in the kitchen drawer. "Regular people can heal when a bad reputation is put on them, Ichirou," Akashi chuckled. The manager shivered. "Influential people such as my parents and your owner, it's tougher to put a bad name on them because of their influence and money. However," he grabbed an empty soda can that sat on the kitchen counter. "They are sure to hold many dark secrets. Once you unravel one of those secrets," he crushed the can, "they're destroyed."

**~Setting Skip~**

Kuroko winced as he pulled over the loose polo shirt over his head. The hot water had managed to loosen and soothe his sore muscles, but it also blossomed new pain to his back and legs. None of the wounds opened up though, thankfully. "Itai," Kuroko yelped softly as he accidentally brushed his stomach against the corner of the counter. He rubbed his bruises gently.

Putting on the jeans was much more difficult, but he managed somehow. He looked at the bloody bandages on the floor, and quickly discarded them in the bathroom trashcan. Then he folded his clothes neatly and set it on the bathroom counter.

Akashi's shampoo smell swirled around the bathroom. Kuroko could smell it from his hair. _So this is what Akashi-kun uses, _Kuroko thought, _it smells good. _Then he quickly rid himself of the thoughts and blushed, but you could barely notice it.

Kuroko poked his head of the door before fully letting his body step through the threshold. Cool air greeted him. He padded silently through the dark room and into the hallway, only to be led into the living room, where Akashi was waiting.

"Tetsuya," Akashi greeted. Kuroko noticed his eyes gave a quick inspection of his body, possibly looking for blood or limping. "Are you in pain?" Kuroko shook his head. "Have your wounds opened?" Kuroko denied that, too. "Do I need to rewrap them as a precaution?" The teal-haired boy shook his head faster. He hated that tight feeling the bandages gave him. "Did anything hurt—?"

"Akashi-kun!" Kuroko protested to the onslaught of questions.

Akashi raised an eyebrow, but pursed his lips. "All right," he sighed. "Are you hungry? I did not make anything new; it is the leftover ramen from yesterday."

"Yes," Kuroko said and added, "please."

The red-head went to the kitchen and came back with a hot bowl of ramen. He set it in front of the hungry teen. "Eat everything."

"I know," Kuroko muttered.

Akashi gave him a look, but stayed silent as he watched Kuroko eat. He studied the frail boy's frame. Due to his ridiculous amount of servings and forcing the teen to eat everything on his plate, Kuroko had managed to gain a couple of pounds from the last few days. He also looked like he was in a lot less pain, and the broken look in his eyes had somewhat disappeared.

"Your father will pick you up in the morning," Akashi announced.

Kuroko suddenly lost his appetite. "H-hai," he said, but he didn't want to go back. Going back to his home meant meeting his mother. Meeting his mother meant facing her head-on, and he knew she would not forget how he 'defied' her multiple times. Her 'lessons'—were so painful. So scarring—so _memorable_. He swallowed hard. Her face was always construed into something of disgust; the insults she yelled were always so _true_.

Akashi saw the distress building up inside Kuroko. He slid from the couch to the ground, where the teal-haired boy sat, and gathered him into a tight embrace. Kuroko clutched onto Akashi's shirt tightly in response. His pale frame was shaking. Akashi shushed his cries, smoothing down the wet teal hair with a free hand; the other hand was wrapped around the boy's waist.

"She will not hurt you as badly again," Akashi murmured next to his ear. Kuroko could feel tears come to his eyes, but he refused to cry. He had already cried too much. "You know how to defend yourself, and you know I will come—no matter the time—if you call me." He tenderly grabbed Kuroko's chin and held it up so that he could look into his eyes. "Don't you dare become isolated from us. Do not even think about hiding the pain. Shintaro and Daiki are closest to you, but we are all here. I do not care for that woman who dares to hurt what is _mine,_ but I will make sure you remain unbroken permanently." The tears didn't come, but Kuroko could still feel the anguish in his chest. He buried himself into Akashi's body, his body shaking violently from the memories his mother had imprinted into him. These days, with his mother back, Kuroko could not control his emotions. No matter how hard the boy tried, fear always claimed him. Kuroko could feel Akashi welcoming him into anotherembrace.

"I will make sure she pays, Tetsuya," Akashi informed him. "I will get you out of that house and help your father take custody of you."

"No, Akashi-kun," Kuroko said through his shirt. "She'll hurt you. S-she knows your parents."

"Oh?" He ran a hand through Kuroko's hair. "You doubt me?" The small teen didn't answer. "Do not worry, Tetsuya. I will get you out."

Kuroko's arms wrapped around Akashi's back. Akashi added more pressure to his back in response. "Don't do anything reckless for me, Akashi-kun."

"Hm." The red-head simply put a ginger kiss to Kuroko's shoulder. They stayed silent like that, ramen forgotten. Kuroko sat on Akashi's lap, facing the red-head, with his arms wrapped around his former captain's chest. Akashi let him, with his own arms around the fragile teen. Every once in awhile, Akashi could feel hear a small prayer from Kuroko, but it wasn't for himself. It was for Akashi.

**~Setting Skip~**

Kagami sighed and dropped his body on his bed. He bounced a bit before the mattress evened out, and he lied still. He stared at the low ceiling. _That the Tetsu kid was abused. _Abused. The word stood out than any other word Haisaki had said. Kuroko was abused? Physically and mentally?

_I remember the kid used to come to practice every once in awhile with a new injury, _Haisaki had recalled, _But it was always some excuse, ya' know? Like bullying, or a fight, or falling, that kind of shit. I didn't really care, so I don't know the full details. _

The way the player said that made him pissed for some reason. He didn't care that his own teammate could be abused? But furthermore, how could he not have noticed? Yeah, there were times where Kuroko mysteriously skipped practice, but it was always for some believable reason. In fact, it was so believable none of them had questioned it. Yet they should have.

"Damn it," Seirin's ace groaned and rolled over. His face was stuffed with blankets. "Kuroko, whatever you're hiding, I swear I'll figure it out." He turned his face so it wasn't muffled by the cloths. "I have to find out who this Kuroko Ibuki is, first."

He patted his jean pockets and pulled out his phone. He speed dialed "2".

"Hello?"

"Dad," Kagami answered. He knew his parents were in America, and long-distance calls were a bit expensive, but his parents could afford it.

"Taiga." He could hear his father's surprise. "You don't call me often. What's going on?"

"Your business has connections with the sister branches in Japan, right?"

His father paused. "Yes. Why?"

"Could you look to see if there is any information on a woman named Kuroko Ibuki?"

(I know, it's very short! But I'm so busy during the holidays, and Christmas is tomorrow, so it's been hectic. I'm also desperately working on that promised Kuroko no Basuke Christmas story, which will probably turn into a four-shot, one chapter for each pairing.

That's taking a lot of my time, since I want each pairing to have its own personality. Also, since AkaKuro is the main pairing in the story, that chapter will be the longest.

**Yes! I am planning to write a Christmas One-Shot (Or 4-shot, it depends), so please look out for that! It will probably be posted by tonight or early tomorrow. **

I'd also like to give a shout out to one of my fans: 123ANIMEfun. She has reviewed and read every single one of my chapters, and her reviews are really supporting and heart-warming. So are all the reviews I received for this story, so thank you EVERYONE for supporting me. I love writing this fanfiction because of you!)


	11. Chapter 11

**Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form**

**Chapter 11**

My Kuroko no Basuke Christmas Four-Shot (Called Kiseki no Christmas) is finally out! Please check it out :)

* * *

"Do you have everything?"

Akashi walked into the living room, carrying a small bag stuffed with necessities. He was wearing a button-down, long-sleeved red shirt with its collar folded and navy washed jeans. A loose tie was tied lazily around his neck, which would be fixed later. His red hair, already quite short, was combed neatly. An unknown gold ring sat coldly on his ring finger of his right hand.

"Hai." Kuroko tied his left basketball shoe before straightening to face the red-head. He was wearing the same clothes he had worn the day he escaped from his mother, but they were washed, repaired, and cleaned. Unlike his outfit from the other day though, Kuroko wore a black scarf, given by Akashi. "Oh, is Akashi-kun going somewhere? You are dressed formally." He was talking about Akashi's choice of clothing.

"Yes, but it will be after you leave." Akashi gave Kuroko the bag. The blue-head looked at it questioningly. "Your father has mentioned he is running out of first-aid supplies, and he cannot buy some without being discreet. Keep this in your room at all times, and hide it from Ibuki."

"Yes," Kuroko said obediently. He slung the backpack over his shoulder, wincing as he did so.

Three, heavy knocks came from the front door. The two looked over in unison. "That should be your father," Akashi murmured, striding toward the door. He opened it abruptly. True enough, Kuroko Haru stood anxiously at the threshold, his similar eyebrows furrowed low. "Tetsuya!" the father cried, not bothering to greet Akashi, and rushed into the house to embrace his son. "Thank goodness. Are you well? Did you eat?" Haru hugged Kuroko hard, patting the teal head while rubbing his back at the same time.

"Ah, Otou-san," Kuroko said. His pale arms wrapped gently around his father. "I am well, and yes, I ate."

"Are you sure?" Haru patted his hands over Kuroko's face, shoulders, chest, and back. When he got to his stomach, the smaller winced. "You're hurt, aren't you? Is it your bones? Bruises? Cuts? Is your head okay? You can walk, right? Do you need to re-wrap something?"

Akashi walked behind the father and put his hand on his shoulder. "He is fine, Haru-san. Please give him space."

Haru looked up to the red-head and blinked. "Akashi-kun," he said. The man straightened and turned toward the teen. "Ah . . ." Haru pressed his lips together in a straight line, before surprising the two basketball players by suddenly bowing low to Akashi. "Thank you very much for taking care of Tetsuya!" Kuroko's father said toward the ground. "I regret to have given you such a burden."

Akashi tilted his head, amused. "Haru-san, you really shouldn't bow so low to people younger than yourself."

Haru raised his head and put a hand on Kuroko's shoulder. "No, I have to show my appreciation. Without you, I—I," the tall man took a deep, shuddering breath. "I really do not know what would become of Tetsuya."

Akashi studied Kuroko's father. Understanding how the man felt completely, he nodded ever so slightly at the thanks. "I see where Tetsuya gets his _overly_ polite manners," he raised an eyebrow at Kuroko. The teal-haired boy looked down. "It was not a burden. Tetsuya has healed well during his time here." Akashi gazed at Kuroko's ribs, where a number of bruises were left. "I trust he will be safe for a few days?"

Haru hesitated. "Yes. I will do my all to keep Tetsuya away from Ibuki's anger."

"Hm." Akashi went up to Kuroko and put his hands on the slim shoulders. "You know Daiki's and Shintaro's phone numbers," he said. "I will most likely be in Kyoto the next time you call me. If you need any of us to come to your aid, call them first." He looked into Kuroko's blank eyes. "Understand?"

"Yes," Kuroko said quietly.

Haru watched the exchange curiously, and wondered what the real relationship between his son and Akashi was. "We should get going, now," Haru announced. He turned toward his son. "Is everything ready?"

"Hai," Kuroko adjusted the strap on the backpack and looked at his father expectantly.

"Good," Haru patted his son's head and gave him a swift kiss near the temple. He led Kuroko toward the door and turned around to thank Akashi again.

Akashi stopped him from showing his appreciation, again. "Haru-san, know that I will do everything to get Tetsuya out of that house. I understand your problem of custody, but that is the least of my worries. Tetsuya will not stay in that house much longer, whether you have custody or not. I hope you realize that."

Haru was speechless. Kuroko politely bowed to the red-head. "Thank you, Akashi-kun."

All they got was a simple: "Hm."

Kuroko walked to the familiar blue van and carefully sat in the passenger seat, mindful of his bruises. He took off the backpack and set it in front of him. Haru slid into the driver's seat and locked the car doors. With the keys already set, he immediately pulled out of the parking space and drove out to the road.

The first few minutes of the car ride were awkward. Kuroko, a naturally silent person, didn't speak; simply looking out the window was good enough for him. Haru, on the other hand, wanted to talk to his son, but didn't know how. The father gripped the steering wheel nervously. He was never really good at starting conversations.

"Ano . . ."

"You know . . ."

They both started talking at the same time. Kuroko stopped, and Haru chuckled. "You can go first, Otou-san," his son said.

The said father sighed heavily. There were a lot of questions he wanted to ask, but the words weren't coming. "How—how are your injuries? Are they healing well?" Haru cleared his throat and considerably lowered his voice, "I heard she made you fall from the second floor."

"I am fine," Kuroko said, determined not to bring any bad memories. He rubbed his ribs gently. "The bruises are just starting to heal. Midorima-kun said there were no broken bones."

"I see," Haru paused. "Tetsuya, do you know how to defend yourself? I know I left you in your room, telling you to fight back, but it never occurred to me that you wouldn't know how," the car came to a stop at a red light. Kuroko's father took advantage of this and rested his forehead against the steering wheel. "I am so sorry, Tetsuya," he whispered. "I should have known Ibuki would come home before me, and I should have known she would break into your room. It was selfish and stupid of me to leave you when you were still healing. It was wrong, and I'm sorry." The last few words were cracked as tears fell from the older man's eyes. His knuckles were white from clutching the wheel too tightly.

"Please stop, Otou-san," Kuroko faintly said. "It was not your fault." When there was no response, he added, "Akashi-kun taught me Aikido. I know how to defend myself."

The light turned blue, and Haru had no choice but to lift his head and start driving. He did, though, hear his son's comment. "Akashi-kun? He taught you Aikido?" An image of the wild red-head instructing his frail son Aikido popped into his head, and he laughed. Kuroko didn't know what was so funny. "Akashi-kun seems to care for you, a lot," Haru commented after his laughter died out.

"Yes," Kuroko looked at his small hands. "Not just Akashi-kun though. Everybody in the first string in middle school."

"Teiko, right?" Haru asked.

Kuroko nodded. "Midorima-kun, Murasakibara-kun, Aomine-kun, Kise-kun . . . They're all there," he said softly. "They've all been there since middle school."

"They know . . . of Ibuki?"

"Yes," he answered. "They know of Okaa-san, and yet they try to help me. They try to protect me." Kuroko started shaking, his body shuddering from his words, "It makes me feel weak. Akashi-kun is doing reckless deeds for my sake, even though he could be hurt. I want to do something, but I can't." The teal-haired boy put a hand to his face, shaking as he did so.

Haru slowly parked in front of their house. He put the car in parking and took out the keys. Now that the soft hum of the car was cut off, the silence in the air was heavy. Kuroko didn't even want to move; he wanted to stay in the car until someone told him he didn't have to go into his house.

A heavy hand set upon Kuroko's head. Kuroko looked at his father, who was staring gently into his eyes. "I'm sure they don't want you to do something," Haru murmured. "I'm glad you have friends that can help you, as well." The man sighed and kissed his son's forehead swiftly. "We have to go inside. Ibuki is home, but you are to go to your room immediately, understand?"

"Hai." Kuroko grabbed his backpack and put it over his shoulder.

Haru nodded, got out of the car, and went around to open his son's door. Kuroko carefully jumped out. Fear was trying to prod into his brain, but Kuroko stayed firm. He didn't want to have another panic attack. His mother fed on fear of other people, and Kuroko refused to give her the satisfaction.

The two silently walked to the front door. Haru stopped just as he was about to push the house key in, and took a deep breath. "One, two, three," he whispered and unlocked the door. Kuroko made sure to keep his face blank.

"Quickly, go in," Haru whispered and pushed his son inside the house. Kuroko went inside his all-too familiar house, taking off his shoes quickly so that he could run when needed. And he had a feeling he would need to, soon.

"Hm? Haru, are you home?"

The voice almost made Kuroko freeze. His resolve wavered, but he kept his face blank and mind stable. He clenched his hands to the hide the fact they were shaking. Haru leaned down to whisper in Kuroko's ear, "Get ready to go to your room."

"Haru?" Ibuki stepped from out of the kitchen and into the hallway. Her eyes went from Haru to Kuroko. Her mouth spread into a crazed grin. "Tetsu-kun," she purred. "Welcome home." She stepped forward, a glint in her eyes. In her hands, she held a knife she was using in the kitchen. "Have you come to apologize to me?"

Kuroko swallowed, but his eyes stayed emotionless. In a monotone voice, he said, "I'm home, Okaa-san."

Ibuki, angry that she couldn't read her son's expression, curled her lip into a snarl. "You dare say this is your home after you defied me after so many times?" She took another dangerous step toward Kuroko. "Come here, Tetsuya."

Kuroko couldn't move. "Tetsuya, go to your room," Haru ordered.

He couldn't move.

"Tetsu-_kun_, come here," Ibuki commanded.

He couldn't move.

"Go, Tetsuya!" his father sharpened his voice.

He couldn't move.

"Come here!" Ibuki screeched. When she realized the boy would not move, she started advancing toward him, the knife reflecting the light from the hallway.

_"Go!_" Haru shouted. He walked swiftly across the hallway to restrain his wife. His hands grabbed Ibuki's shoulder from behind, mindful of the sharp knife in her hands. Disgustingly, he yanked her body so that it was secure next to his. "Drop the knife, Ibuki," he hissed. "Drop the knife."

_"Let me go!"_ his wife screamed. She struggled against her restraints. The knife waved wildly in her hands, and the edge sliced part of Haru's arm. It ripped through his shirt and left a large gash. He clenched his jaw against the pain. "Let me go, Haru! I have to set that wretched child straight! Give him to me! He needs to broken; in _pain_; _crying_! Can't you see his face? He's _mocking _me! Mocking me with those eyes! _Let go of me_!"

Her wails started to become louder. Ibuki's wretched voice echoed throughout the hallway and bounced back to Kuroko's ears. Kuroko stood frozen at the scene, looked at the blood dripping from his father's arm. He caused this. He caused his father pain.

"Tetsuya, go!" Haru shouted.

"Don't you dare listen to him, Tetsu!" Ibuki roared. "You come here, right now. I'll set you back in your place; you'll learn to not defy me! I swear I will break that mocking face of yours. _I will break it._"

"Please go," the bleeding man pleaded. Kuroko tried to move. Haru lowered his voice then, but made sure his son could still hear his words, "Would you disobey me, Tetsuya, your father?"

That made Kuroko snap out of his trance. If there was anything he hated doing, it was to disobey his father, the one who had been there for him since the start. The teal-haired boy starting moving, his movements faster and faster at each step. Ibuki yelled at him to come to her and insulted him with degrading words, but he kept moving, his eyes avoiding the puddle of blood as he passed his father. Kuroko ran all the way up the stairs and into his room, slamming the door behind him. Still not feeling safe, he locked the door, dragged two of the heavy chairs in his room and put them right underneath the doorknob, barricading the door.

"Damn it, _let go, Haru_! He's a _degrading child_! _He mocks me!_ He needs to be set in his place; he needs to be _broken!_ _I hate him_. He's so arrogant, so _useless_ to me! Let me go; let me teach him what happens when he defies me! Let go, Haru!" Ibuki's crazed sobs traveled through Kuroko's bedroom door.

Kuroko slammed his back to the wall, ignoring the pain it caused throughout his body, and slid down to the floor slowly. He did not cry, nor did he make a sound. He simply stared blankly at the window, the image of blood imprinted in his mind, the echoes of his mother's word still echoing in his ears. He clenched his hands tightly.

_Okaa-san, what did I do wrong to deserve your hatred?_

**~Setting Skip~**

"Oil?" Kagami scratched the back of his head and looked at the recipe again. "That's unhealthy, I heard. I'll use water instead." He filled the pan with a small amount of sink water. "And then . . . add the vegetables." Setting the pan back on the stove, he picked up the freshly cut vegetables and threw it in the pan. It sizzled in response. "Spread the vegetables around evenly," he read aloud. The vegetables sizzled even more as he moved them around with chopsticks.

Suddenly, Kagami felt a vibrating in his back pocket. Moving the chopsticks to his left hand, he grabbed out the cell phone from his pocket and answered, "Hello?"

"Taiga."

"Oh, Dad," Kagami raised an eccentric eyebrow. "Don't tell me you've already got information."

Kagami's father wryly replied, "Yes, I actually did. Are you underestimating me?"

"Hard not to, old man," the tall ace grumbled. He read the next set of instructions and added the extra ingredients into the pan.

"When did you get so bratty?" his father sighed. "Anyway, yes, I did get information on the woman, Kuroko Ibuki. Currently, she is 36 years old, 5'7", and 133 pounds—which is about168 centimeters and 60 kilograms. She went to the University of Tokyo, majored in business and economics, graduating with the highest scores out of everyone. She lived in America, but apparently she now lives in Japan. Owning three of the largest corporations in Japan, Ibuki Corporation, The Atari, and Rasa Corps, Kuroko Ibuki is one of the most influential people in the country." Kagami's father hesitated in the middle. "However, there is something that's bothering me."

Kagami, who had turned down the stove and was writing furiously at the information his father was giving him, paused and asked, "What is it?"

"Well, first of all, I can't find any of her transfer files."

"Transfer files?"

"Since she was born in America and lived in America for some time, there should be immigrant files to show her legal residence in Japan. Usually, I can find that easily in the system, especially since she owns our sister business branch there, but there isn't any." Kagami wrote this note down quickly. "Also, I called each one of the companies she owned, and found something . . . strange."

The tall red-head frowned and sat down on a wooden chair. His notepad and pen came with him. "What do you mean by strange?"

"Strange as in three identities," his father said. "I called the Ibuki Corporation, and I was informed their owner was Kuroko Ibuki. However, when I called The Atari, their owner's name was Suzuki Akihiko . . . Rasa Corps' owner is Abe Miku."

"Three different names, but one owner?" Kagami asked, incredulous.

"And the three businesses don't seem to know about it. Each of them claims Suzuki Akihiko or Abe Miku is the one that owns three of the large businesses. I looked up both of the names, and found completely different information from Kuroko Ibuki."

"Two of the names are male, too," Kagami murmured, scribbling down the information he just received.

His father sighed over the phone. "Now that I've told you this, would you mind telling me why you want to know about this woman so much?"

The ace set his pen down and leaned back against the chair, stretching his legs with a loud groan. He took a deep breath and relaxed in the kitchen chair. "Kuroko Ibuki is the mother of my teammate."

"Of your basketball team?"

"Yes," Kagami stopped and delayed his answer before: "I think she might be abusing him."

Kagami's father didn't answer for a long time. ". . . I see," he finally said. "I will do everything I can to get more information about this woman, then."

"Thanks, Dad."

"On another subject, have you considered—?"

"No, I will not move to America. Bye, Dad." He hung up.

**~Setting Skip~**

"We have arrived at Kyoto. The doors are opening. Please stand clear."

The few people in Akashi's car stood up and got ready to leave the train. The red-head did the same, adjusting his tie around his neck and expensive watch on his wrist. When the doors fully opened, he stepped out of the train and was immediately greeted by Kyoto's cold weather.

Akashi walked on Kyoto's mildly busy streets. It wasn't as busy, since it wasn't rush hour, but busy enough that he had to dodge little, disobedient kids who chose to run from their parents. Some store owners he knew greeted him politely as he passed by. He only gave them a terse reply.

Akashi, since he did not want to take a filthy taxi and ruin his clothes, turned corners and went up and down steep streets. The place he was going to was a long walk from the station. It didn't bother him, though, since he was used to long walks and 'tiring' hills. If one didn't have strong legs to walk this far, especially a basketball player, then they truly were weak.

Kuroko as an exception, of course.

Finally, he reached his destination. It was the largest house in the city, so it was hard to miss. A small gate blocked off trespassers, and a small intercom was drilled to the gate. Akashi pushed the button and waited for an answer.

"Akashi residence," a familiar voice answered.

"It is me," Akashi said.

There was a long pause. "Seijuro . . . Let me open the gates."

The intercom disconnected, and a second later, the gates automatically opened. Akashi immediately stepped through, walking toward the large front door of the huge house. It opened before he could reach it, and a tall, red-head man stepped through the threshold. Just like Akashi, the man's hair was a fiery red and very short. He had the same authoritative aura the teen gave off, and his face was somewhat intimidating. Unlike Akashi, though, the man was tall, and instead of having hetero eyes of yellow and red, _both_ of his eyes contained a pigment of red and yellow. It almost created orange.

"Seijuro. I did not expect you to come visit," the unknown man said.

"I'm sorry, Father," Akashi walked up the few steps of his porch and walked into the house when the man let him. "I know this is last-minute."

"Indeed it is," Akashi Hayato closed the grand door, locking it as he did so. He snapped his fingers, and a servant appeared, bowing deeply at his son and himself. Then she helped Akashi take off his coat, revealing the red button-down shirt. He looked at his son's outfit approvingly. "What brings you here?"

Akashi loosened his tie. "I actually need an hour of your time, if possible." He looked around his childhood house. "Where is Mother?"

"She went back to work to check on some details for a case," Hayato checked his watch and sighed. Even though he really was tight on schedule today, it was rare of his son to come visit and ask for a talk, especially since he bought him an apartment close by. It must be important. "I can spare an hour or two. Would you like to go the family room?"

Akashi nodded. "Thank you."

"Aiko," his father called. "Please bring two cups of tea to the family room and a small treat."

"Hai, Akashi-san," the maid bowed and scurried off to do her job.

Father and son walked to the large family room, where comfortable couches, chairs, and small round tables awaited them. Akashi sat in an oversized chair for himself, his posture formal with his back erect, legs crossed one over the other, and his two hands overlapping each other on his knee. Hayato sat more relaxed, across from his son on a leather couch, one arm draped across the top of the couch and one hand in his lap. He had to restrain from rolling his eyes at how formal his son was.

"Your tea, Akashi-san," Aiko rushed in, holding a tray of steaming cups of tea. She set the cups in the middle of the table in front of them, along with a tray of soy flavored rice crackers. "Is there anything else?"

"No, thank you."

She left.

"So what is it that you need to talk about, Seijuro?" Hayato reached for the tea, along with a rice cracker. He sipped it slowly.

Akashi did the same, but bit into his rice cracker first. "Father, are you aware of the woman, Kuroko Ibuki?"

Hayato didn't show any surprise on his face at the name. He calmly drank his tea and set his cup down. "Yes, Kuroko Ibuki, thirty-six years old, a top graduate of the University of Tokyo, owns three large corporations, and mysteriously claims two identities," his father listed off from the top of his head. Hayato, being an elite lawyer, knew these kinds of people from the top of his head. "What of her, Seijuro?"

Akashi raised an eyebrow. "So you do know, and you're also aware of her multiple identities. However, she has three." He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to his father. "Those are the three names I have discovered from calling all three corporations. None of them are aware of her identities, and due to her high influence, only a few amounts of people know of it."

"Three?" Hayato, mirroring his son, raised a red eyebrow and unfolded the piece of paper. He read the names out loud, "Kuroko Ibuki, Suzuki Akihiko, and . . . Abe Miku." The man pressed his lips together and looked at the paper strangely. "That is—unusual. Why are you so interested in her? Did she do something to you?"

"Actually, yes." Akashi grabbed another rice cracker and bit into it slowly.

His father narrowed his eyes. "Did she hurt you?" he demanded. "Threaten? Insult? Touch you?"

Akashi shook his head and scoffed. As if someone could touch _him_. "No, Father . . . she is the mother and abuser of Kuroko Tetsuya."

"Kuroko Tets—the one you have known since middle school?"

"Yes."

"She abuses him?"

"Yes."

Hayato, his father side switched off and his lawyer side switched on, asked, "And where is your proof, Seijuro?"

Akashi, knowing his father and predicted this question, instantly answered, "Tetsuya's father is willing to make a statement. I also have many witnesses, and I am sure Tetsuya, the victim, would make a statement as well."

" . . . What do you want me to do, Seijuro?"

He, who was waiting for this invitation, leaned forward and said, "I want you to use your power and investigate everything about these three identities. Find as much proof as you can, Father, in order to persecute her in court. I know of her influence, but there is one large secret that I'm trying to unravel; that could destroy her." Akashi leaned back and sighed. "Yet, I don't have enough connections yet to find it. I need your help, Father."

Hayato hesitated. He also knew of Kuroko Ibuki's power, and attacking her could mean a downfall to his business in law. However, knowing that his son swallowed his pride and came here to ask him for help, this Tetsuya friend of his must be important.

Also, his wife, a family lawyer, would not stand to let a person who abuses a child go wild in the streets. He sighed heavily. Hayato knew he had no choice.

For the next hour, the two discussed plans about Ibuki. Akashi, having spent years with his father, understood the lawyer terms his father used and was even able to come up with his own plans, mapping out the connections and calls. Hayato listed a series of names and phone numbers that could be helpful to them and were not influenced by Ibuki's power. Hayato, the only person Akashi could not beat in Shogi, the one who had raised the teen to become a devious, powerful leader, smiled almost sadistically at the almost flawless plan they were making. Akashi, the one everybody listened to, the one who had enough skill to bring down an average adult both physically and mentally, had a glint in his eyes as he saw an image of Kuroko Ibuki being brought down to her knees.

Soon, an hour passed, and their planned actions were stabled. Akashi stood up and stretched his limbs. "Thank you for your time," he said formally. "I will soon be contacting these people to get information."

"Hm," Hayato also stood up and stretched. "By the way, Seijuro, have you gotten yourself a nice girlfriend?"

Akashi threw a glare at him. "No, Father, I have not, and I will not."

"I want grandkids when I'm older, Seijuro. I also don't want a son who runs my business later in the years alone without a wife."

"I have no interest in the area of dating women right now," he replied indifferently. "Besides . . . I already have someone precious by my side."

Hayato gave his son a gaze of interest. "Oh? Who?"

Akashi didn't answer.

His father smirked, "Is it this Tetsuya of yours?"

Again, Akashi didn't answer.

(I'm sorry for not updating the last few days! I was extremely busy, with holidays and whatnot. This is a long chapter, though! There will most likely be typos, so PLEASE point out if you see some type of obvious mistake so that I can fix it. My dead, sleepy eyes won't catch them right now.

Anyway, my Christmas Four-shot of the Generation of Miracles was released on Christmas. Yes, the main couple is AkaKuro in my Christmas shot. Please check it out! Thank you for your support!)


	12. Chapter 12

**Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form**

**Chapter 12**

Thanks for reading! I appreciate it, very much.

**PLEASE READ BOLD PART AT BOTTOM. **

* * *

"They're late!" Hyuuga announced. "Why the hell are they late?"

"Who knows?" Teppei hummed and dribbled down the court to make a lay-up. "All we got to do is warm-up and wait for them."

Kagami angrily grabbed a basketball off the floor, jumped from the free-throw line, and dunked it hard into the basket. It creaked and protested under his strength and weight. "Oi, Kagami, what's the big idea?" Hyuuga threw him an odd look. "Save that strength for our match."

"Haven't you noticed?" He waved his large arms around the gym. "Kuroko's missing!"

Seirin's basketball team stopped warming up and looked around for the small, teal-haired teen. They made sure to look at every corner of the gym, including behind them, since it was already so hard to spot Kuroko even when he _was_ there. "You're right," Koganei chirped. "He's . . . not here?"

Mitobe, ever so silent, nodded slightly.

"What?" Tsuchida scratched his head. "He missed all the practices, and now he's missing the practice match?"

"You don't think," the coach of Seirin hesitated, "You don't think what Haisaki said is true, do you?"

Everybody but Kagami swallowed. "I-it would explain all the injuries," Hyuuga commented reluctantly.

"And the skipped school days." Teppei added.

Izuki also mentioned, "And the events from a few days ago, at practice."

They all were silent. None of them dared to say another word about Haisaki's words. They were too scared to find out the truth, because if it was true Kuroko was being abused, everyone would feel horrible for not knowing. Kuroko, even though he was a shadow, supported their team in his little, unknown ways. It wasn't the same without him, and the fact that they've neglected to know that their passer had been broken this whole time was devastating.

"Sorry we're late!" A cheerful, loud voice hollered just as the gym door opened. Kise Ryouta happily skipped into the gym, holding a basketball to his hips with one arm. A large grin was on his face. "There was traffic, I swear! And you know how long it takes to get here from Kanagawa," Kise defended when the whole Seirin team turned to glare at him.

"Idiot, there wasn't any traffic," Kasamatsu, Kaijou's captain, slapped the back of Kise's head. "You just had to give your autographs to all your annoying fans and help up the carpool!"

"Senpai, that was supposed to be a secret!" Kise whined, rubbing his head. Then he looked around and frowned. "Are the refs here?"

Riko's dad stepped in and shook his head. "This is just a private practice match. I'll be the referee for the game. One of each benched player from both teams will help keep score on the score board." He pointed to the lit up scoreboard on the wall, followed by the machine that controlled it. Tsuchida already sat behind it, knowing he wouldn't play in this match.

"Fine by me," Kise crowed. "We already warmed up running here, so let's just start!" The blonde surveyed Seirin's basketball team and sighed in relief. "Kurokocchi isn't here."

"Oi, you better not go easy on us just because Kuroko isn't playing," Kagami warned. "We'll kick your ass if you do."

Kise waved him off. "Nah, Kurokocchi would never forgive me if I did that. Besides, I already knew he wasn't coming today. Akashicchi said so."

This caught Kagami's attention. No, it caught everyone from Seirin's attention. What did he mean that he knew Kuroko wouldn't be here? Does that mean he knows the reason why the teal-haired boy had been AWOL the past few days? Did everyone from the Generation of Miracles know? Kagami scowled at how little he knew. He'd always hated when he was left out of things, especially when it came to Kuroko.

"What do you mean Akashi said so? Did something happen to Kuroko?" Hyuuga questioned exactly what was on the red-head's mind.

"Kise, get over here! You're starting, soon!" Kajiou's captain yelled.

Said teen looked over his shoulder to his huddled team and grinned, "I'll be there in just a minute!"

"No! Get your ass here now!"

"Aw, just wait!" Kise pouted, but he started to walk back to his team. "Akashicchi said he'd kill me if I told you guys anything, and I like my life." He turned his head slightly to meet Kagami's wild eyes. "It's better if you just don't get involved, Kagamicchi. The results aren't going to be pretty. Plus, if you make an appearance with Akashicchi, he will stop you . . . his way." Kise's face looked dead-panned for a split second, his brownish-yellow eyes burning with seriousness; the expression looked almost overprotective. It changed though into a sly smirk, and Kise gave the team a thumbs up. "Good luck!"

Everyone sweat-dropped as the blonde skipped back to his huddled teammates. Kagami wasn't sure if Kise was wishing him luck in the game or with Akashi.

Kiyoshi and a player from Kaijou took their places in the center of the court. Riko's father put the ball in the middle of them. "Hey, you, the blondie," Teppei called to Kise.

Kise sniffed with easy tears in his eyes. "I-is that what you guys think of me? A blondie?" he wailed.

"I have no idea what your babbling means about this 'Akaji' or 'Akasi', whatever his name his, but Kuroko is on our team now, so we have the right to know about him." Teppei gave smile to Kise. "And we'll show you by crushing you in this match."

The blonde didn't answer. He only grinned and gave him a peace sign. Teppei's eye twitched. _He ticks me off for some reason, _Seirin's center and point guard thought.

"Seirin-black! Kaijou-white! Let's have a good match!" The coach's father threw the ball up in the air, the whistle in his mouth. The two tall players jumped for the ball. Teppei's jump was slightly shorter than Kaijou's player, and the ball was passed to Kasamatsu.

The captain passed the ball to their ace right away. "Heh." Kise dramatically bounced the basketball slowly in his right hand, his eyes trained right toward the hoop. "Sorry, but . . ." Kise's drive was almost invisible. He passed two defenders easily, zig-zagging down to the basket. His insane ball-handling passed the stunned Kagami, and he jumped from the free-throw line.

The basketball slammed through the net as Kise hung onto the rim for a few seconds. He landed easily on his feet. "We found Kurokocchi first. So we have the right to keep everything from you." A scary glint could be seen in Kise's usually cheerful eyes. He tilted his head innocently. "Don't forget that."

Kaijou crushed Seirin's team. With their ace's skill, driven by concentration and anger, along with the other strong regulars on the team, Seirin didn't stand a chance without Kuroko. Also, Kagami was distracted by Kise's words, so he wasn't playing his best.

Not at the statement about Kuroko belonging to them (he figured that all of the Generation of Miracles members were simply insane and possessive like that, so he grew used to it), but at the fact Kise knew what was going on, but Akashi was stopping him from telling Seirin. Why did Akashi want to hide the fact Kuroko could—possibly—be abused? Wouldn't it be more helpful to know about the abuse, so more witnesses and statements could be made?

"End of match! 76 to 54; Kaijou High School!"

Kasamatsu shook his head at Seirin's team. "You guys rely on that invisible guy too much."

"Of course we'd lose man power if we're missing one of our main players," Hyuuga snapped. "And Kagami! What the hell was that? You barely made any of your jumps! _Kagami_!"

"Huh?" Kagami snapped out of his trance. His face wasn't drenched with as much sweat as it would have been had he been playing seriously. He had a towel around his neck, and he didn't look too bothered by their loss. "Ah, sorry." The red-head scratched the back of his head. "Today's not my day."

Izuki stared at the tall ace hard. "What's with you? This isn't like the real Kagami. Are you all right?" He blinked. "Are you all right? Ha! You are all right, since you're right handed! _All_ right!"

All the first-years groaned at the pun.

"Besides that lame joke, Izuki is right," Teppei remarked. "It wouldn't matter if Kuroko wasn't here; you would usually give it your all to beat Kise."

"I already said I'm sorry," Kagami grumbled. "I'm just distracted today."

"It's about Kuroko, huh?" Riko joined the conversation.

Kagami didn't answer. He was watching Kaijou's team leave the gym, with Kise following out last. "I'm going out first. You guys go home without me." Kagami gathered his stuff, put on his Seirin jacket, and started to walk out of the gym.

"Eh? Kagami! We're supposed to go back to your house to look more at the files!" The coach shouted. "What are we supposed to do now?"

"There's a key under the mat," he called back. "You're welcome to go to my house. Just don't break anything." And with that, he left.

It took awhile to find Kise. He thought the blonde would stay with his teammates, but found he had actually separated after the game. After taking the route Kasamatsu told him though, it wasn't hard to find the basketball player. After all, you didn't normally see a happily strolling, tall, blonde model on the streets everyday in Japan. "Oi, Kise!"

Said teen turned around in surprise. "Oh, it's you, Kagamicchi! What's up?"

Kagami, ever so blunt and rude, demanded, "Tell me what's going on with Kuroko. I want to know the truth."

Kise frowned and looked away to the side. He fidgeted with his hands. "Sorry, Kagamicchi, but . . . I can't."

"Don't give me that crap," Kagami snapped. "I haven't seen Kuroko ever since the day your crazy captain showed up at practice. He won't answer my calls, and twice I came to his house, but an even _crazier _woman showed up, and she started babbling about how bad her son was. Then she started to spout threats to me, when all I did was listen to her mental rants. Then there's this Kuroko Ibuki—"

"You know Kuroko's mother?" Kise interrupted Kagami's tirade and paled. "And you met her?"

"Yes, and she happens to be Kuroko Ibuki, who apparently has three iden—"

Kise slapped a hand over Kagami's mouth. "Don't say anything about her. Akashicchi will get mad."

Kagami slapped the hand away and stepped back. "This is what I'm talking about! What is so important about her that all of you have to keep it a secret? Why does Kuroko's condition have to be kept from us? We're his team, you know! No, I'm his light; his partner! I have the right to know!" He yelled out the last few words, all the pent up frustration letting loose. Some people stared at them weirdly and some cautiously as they passed the two basketball players. A police officer from across the street looked at them with a stern eye.

"Look, I know you're upset Kagamicchi, but—"

"Answer my questions, Kise!"

"I can't; and if I could, I wouldn't—!"

_"Why not?"_

_"Kagamicchi!" _

The sharp tone in Kise's voice made Kagami stop raving. The red-head snapped his gaze back to the blonde's, and froze. This was the second time Kise had an angry expression on his face. His brown eyes swirled with fury and possessiveness, his jaw clenched in a final decision. Kise's arms were crossed tightly, and everything about his stance screamed _serious_. Again, there was a flash of _something_ in the angry brown eyes, but Kagami couldn't distinguish _what_.

"You're forgetting your place, Kagamicchi," Kise said coldly. The statement made the red-head's blood rush to his head. "I know he's on your team, and I know he's now your partner. However, Aominecchi's was Kurokocchi's _first_ partner, I was his _first _'student', Akashicchi was the _first_ one to discover his talent, Midorimacchi was the _first_ to tell him his fortune, Murasakicchi was the _first_ to offer him a snack; we came first. Kurokocchi, no matter whose team he plays with now, will always _be_ accepted by us, and he will always rely on us first." Kise fixed a hard stare into Kagami's eyes. "Why do you think Kurokocchi called Akashicchi when he was in trouble? Whatever happened with him during his days in middle school and what's happening now is confidential to _us_, the first ones to acknowledge him."

**~Setting Skip~**

Murasakibara Atsushi left the sweets shop, ducking under the small door to be greeted with cold, Akita air. Akashi had made him return to his home, even though he didn't want to. Since it was Aka-chin, though, he had to listen. _I wonder how Kuro-chin is right now, _the purple-head wondered as he snacked on the many sweets he had bought. _Ah. Oops. I missed practice today. _He stopped walking and contemplated if he should call his captain and tell a lie about why he missed practice, or simply let him wonder where he went. Murasakibara shrugged and decided to go with the latter, until: _But Aka-chin might get mad at me . . . _

The tall player sighed at how troublesome it all was. He hated when he got the red-head mad at him, since Murasakibara respected Akashi the most, but he also hated practice. "I'll call Muro-chin to tell him," he mumbled. With his large hand, he had a hard time pressing the right numbers, but he managed.

"Hello?"

"Muro-chin!"

"Atsushi. Why weren't you at practice, today?"

Murasakibara thought and came up with a lie. "My mother was in surgery today. I had to visit her!" It was half a lie and half a truth. His mother had been in surgery. Two months ago, but that wasn't the point. And the fact he didn't have any money anymore wasn't the point, either.

Tatsuya sighed over the phone. "You're such a liar."

"No, it's true!"

"Your mother is nowhere close to you, and you don't have enough money to fly to where she is since you always spend it on snacks. How could you visit her?"

"Oh. Oops." Murasakibara could imagine his partner rolling his eyes. "How come Muro-chin always finds out?" he protested.

Himuro scoffed. "Because your lies are so easy. You were at the sweets shop again, weren't you?"

". . . Yes."

"And you want me to come up with a better lie to the captain so you won't get in trouble with this Akashi of yours, right?"

". . . Yes."

Tatsuya sighed at how easy it was to read Murasakibara. Really, he could at least put in the effort to lie a bit better so he wouldn't have to be involved. "All right. I'll do it, but only if you come to the practice match next week."

The purple-head threw in another chip in his mouth and crunched loudly on the phone. "Thanks, Muro-chin," he said with his mouth full.

"Mm." Tatsuya hung up.

Happy the problem was solved; Murasakibara put his phone away and started strolling on the streets again. The bag of chips he was eating wasn't a new or his favorite flavor, much to his disappointment, but it was still satisfying enough. He was so into eating his chips he didn't notice a woman way shorter than him until he bumped into her.

"Sorry," he mumbled, not really sorry at all, since this happened every day. He maneuvered to the right and started walking again, not even bothering to look who he bumped into.

"Hold it right there."

An annoying, shrill voice barely reached Murasakibara's ears. The giant turned around lazily, "Eh?" He didn't see anyone, blinked, and then realized he had to look down. How many times did he have to remind himself?

His half-lidded eyes met with fierce, blue eyes. It was a woman who called him. A short (to him), teal-haired, pale woman that closely resembled Kuroko. Murasakibara tilted his head curiously and tossed in another chip in his mouth.

The woman spoke: "You're Murasakibara Atsushi, aren't you?" She looked at a picture that was in her hands and then back at him. "Purple-haired, tall, and snacks."

Murasakibara frowned and took the picture out of the woman's hands. "Hey!" the woman protested. "Give that back!"

He looked at the picture curiously. It was of the Generation of Miracles, including Kuroko. Murasakibara could see his younger Teiko self in the picture, with a cracker stick in his mouth. _That snack looks pretty good, _he thought as he examined the picture. "Why do you have a picture of me?"

The picture was rudely taken out of his hands. She looked up to glare at the lazy giant. "You might not recognize me, even though I look much like _him_," she twisted her face into something of disgust, "but I _am_ Kuroko Tetsuya's mother."

"Hmm?" Murasakibara ate the last chip in the bag and munched slowly, analyzing the woman before him. "No, you're not."

Kuroko Ibuki raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I am."

"No. Kuro-chin doesn't have a mother."

"Is that what that brat told you?" she hissed. Anger clouded her mind.

"Mm, no," Murasakibara shook his head. "But you look too ugly and mean to be his mother."

Suddenly, a pale hand shot out, grabbed his school tie, and yanked. His head was forced to bend down to meet her face. Since it was pulled, the tie tightened and nearly choked the giant. However, Murasakibara refused to show any emotion but laziness for the woman's satisfaction.

"Excuse me?" Ibuki spat in his face. "You kids needs to learn some _respect _for your seniors. I could crush all of your families like this," she snapped her fingers, "if I wanted to. Your—captain, was it? Akashi Seijuro? I could bring him down in the social status until he ends up on the streets."

"That hurts," Murasakibara said. He pulled out a cracker stick from his pocket nonchalantly, as if a woman wasn't tugging him down from his tie. "And your breath doesn't smell sweet."

"Are you even listening? I could bring—"

The giant exhaled loudly in a half groan and put a large hand over the woman's head. Murasakibara was huge, so his hand covered her entire head. The woman let out a fearful noise, but swallowed her panic. "I heard you the first time, lady. I'm bored of you talking," he put more pressure on her head, and Ibuki was forced to let go of his tie. Murasakibara stood up his full height and stretched, deliberately looming over her with his large arms and body. "You shouldn't mess with Aka-chin, though, or Kuro-chin." He frowned at Ibuki before taking a huge bite of his cracker stick. "Ooh, this flavor tastes good."

"Oh and why shouldn't I mess with _Seijuro?_ He's challenging his family before me."

"Mm, all I can say is that you could get hurt." Murasakibara took a smaller bite of his cracker stick, and talked anyway with his mouth full, "Physically or mentally; Aka-chin can do both."

"Is that a threat?" Ibuki snarled. "I could get you arrested for that."

"No-o, it was a promise." Suddenly, the purple-head's eyes sparkled. "That sounded like one of those movies! Neh, the ones with the cool characters saying: 'It's not a threat, it's a promise', those kind of things! Did I sound cool when I said it?"

Ibuki pursed her lips at the childish way the teen was acting. Obviously, she wouldn't get any information from him or have him pass a message to this Akashi Seijuro. She sighed. Coming to Akita was a complete waste of time. "Just you wait," the woman warned. "All of you 'Generation of Miracles' will be brought down."

"Ka~ays!" Murasakibara waved. "Bye!"

Ibuki left, and Murasakibara was free to roam the streets again. "I have to call Aka-chin," he mumbled. This time, it was easier to dial since Akashi was on his speed-dial.

"Atsushi," came Akashi's composed voice.

"Aka-chin!" he greeted. "I bumped into Ibusi just now!"

" . . . Ibusi? Atsushi, do you mean 'Ibuki'?"

Murasakibara paused. He sat on an empty bench, since it was too tiring to walk and talk at the same time. "Her name was unimportant, so I forgot it. But it was Kuro-chin's mother."

Akashi's sharp intake could be heard over the phone. "What did she say to you?"

"Something about taking you down, I think," the purple-head struggled to remember the events that had just occurred moments ago. "Oh! She had a photo of us."

"A photo?"

"Yeah, it was of Aka-chin and everybody from Teiko."

"Interesting," Akashi murmured. "Thank you, Atsushi." Murasakibara hummed at the praise. "For that, I will not punish you for skipping practice today."

The purple-head almost spit out his snack, if it weren't so delicious. "Wa~a! But Muro-chin was supposed to—"

"Nothing gets passed me, Atsushi." He hung up.

**~Setting Skip~**

Kuroko sat against the wall, numb and frozen. He had been there since yesterday, too afraid to move or speak, his fingers wrapped tightly around his cell-phone. Scared that his mother would barge into his room during the night, despite that it was locked and barricaded, he barely slept, especially in the uncomfortable position he stayed in. Even when Ibuki left, and Haru came pounding on his door, he didn't answer.

Haru had tried to speak to him, tried to tell him the wound he received wasn't his fault, and that he could come out, but Kuroko knew it was all lies. Pictures of blood from his father's arm flashed through his mind continuously. _He_ had caused that.

It wasn't until the late evening of yesterday when his mother came back home that Haru stopped pounding on his door. Today, his father didn't even try.

The phone in his hands vibrated. At first, he thought it was Kagami again, and was ready to hang up, but a flash of 'Akashi' caught his eye. Even though he wanted to hang up, Kuroko knew he had no choice but to pick it up.

"K-Kuroko here," he answered softly.

"Tetsuya." Akashi's cool and firm voice calmed Kuroko's nerves slightly. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I am all right," Kuroko managed to say. _Not physically hurt. _

"Really?" His former captain asked, suspicious. "Don't lie to me, Tetsuya."

"I'm not lying, Akashi-kun," he whispered. "I'm all right." The tears were starting to come again. "I'm . . . all right." Kuroko stared emptily in his room, a painful smile on his face. The water droplets almost fell. "It's . . . okay."

"_Tetsuya!_ Tell me what happened," Akashi ordered. He could hear Kuroko's cracked voice, and the emotion behind the fake words. It made him think of the worst case scenarios.

Kuroko shook his head and dropped it down to his knees. "N-no, I'm fine," he shakily said. Tears dropped down his cheeks. Even when no one was there, the smile was still plastered onto his face. "I'm okay. N-nobody has to worry." The more the tears came, the more Kuroko refused to drop his smile. "I'm fine . . . I really am . . . I'm all right." He couldn't hold it in anymore, and a sob ripped through his chest. It became more and more evident the boy was crying through the phone. "Ha," Kuroko laughed weakly through his cries. "Ha . . . ha, ha, I'm fine. I don't need you, it's okay. I'm not hurt . . . I'm all right—I'm okay . . . it's not y-your job, A-Akashi-kun."

He could no longer say anything coherent as his sobs took over his body. Akashi listened, shocked, at Kuroko's anguished cries, picking up some words of 'fine' or 'all right'. He listened on and on, his hand digging into his palms hard in anger. "Damn it, Tetsuya," Akashi whispered above the cries. "Why do you lie to yourself?"

* * *

Don't forget to check out my Kiseki no Christmas fic :) And sorry for not updating everyday; it takes a while to make these huge chapters. Hope you liked it! I wanted Murasakibara to have some action on Ibuki, too, xD

If you liked it or think you can improve, please review! I appreciate it!

**I know I make Kuroko break down a lot, and I find it redundant, so I went back some chapter and edited the unnecessary tears. Now, as far as I can count, Kuroko only cries about 3-5 times. I'm going to keep it at that limit. Also, chapters following this mainly be about defeating Ibuki. I am going to make this story short, ending at about 20 or less chapters. I have the ending in my mind.**

Before I end it though, are there any requests you want in my story, such as one or two more AkaKuro moments and such? I will not write a lemon for this story, because this story is not meant for that. (Some have requested. If you want, I can write a special lemon as another separate story for a yaoi pairing if you want). Also, this wasn't supposed to be an all-love fanfic, but also a problem-solving one, so there is a plot people -_- Can't all be lovey-dovey.

Thanks for reading! Any questions, please PM me.

~Virelei


	13. Chapter 13

**Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form**

**Chapter 13**

"Rin, I want you to listen carefully, okay?" Hayato asked warily of his wife. Akashi Rin, demonic mother of Akashi Seijuro and wife of Akashi Hayato, stood at the threshold of her husband's law office, one perfectly-arched eyebrow raised. Her arms were crossed over her chest, expectant. She was wearing a formal suit used for working, which consisted of a medium-length black pencil skirt, followed by a white blouse and a dark suit jacket. Just like her son and husband, she had fiery red hair, but it was long and slightly wavy, coming passed just down her shoulders.

Rin tapped her long, manicured nails against her arm. "Hurry and say it, Hayato. I'm busy."

"Ah, but not too busy, yes?" Hayato gestured toward the chairs in front of his desk. "Don't lie. I checked your work schedule."

"Tch." Irritated, the red-haired woman strode across the room and sat herself in the chair. "What do you want?"

_Why, of all times, does this woman have to be in a bad mood? _Hayato miserably thought."Ah, well, our 'wonderful' son visited me yesterday," he said sarcastically.

"Seijuro?" His wife's expression turned a bit softer. "Why was I not notified?"

"You were working."

Rin's left eye twitched. As much as the man claimed how smart he was, and as much respect he received in the law industry from Japan, Hayato would always be stupid. "Is he well? Does he look healthy? Does he look like he's behaving? No, do not answer the last question. Of course he's behaving." A smile came onto her lips. "He's my son after all."

Hayato returned the smile with a shaky one of his one. "Ah, he's—well. And healthy. Still as bratty as ever, though," he added with a grumble.

"He can't be a brat. I raised him." Rin studied her nails for a second before shooting a glare at her husband. "So? What did Seijuro need?"

"Aha-ha-ha-ha," the red-head laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head. "That's where the problem lies."

After, Akashi Hayato commenced miserably in explaining the situation and problem he got himself in with his son. Rin listened in disbelief, her urge to strangle her husband becoming more evident as the minutes passed by. Names such as 'Ibuki' or 'Atari' and 'Kuroko' shot straight through the female attorney. When Hayato finished, Rin had to compose herself to restrain from slapping her husband until he flew all the way to the depths of Hell.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and:

"_Are you crazy, Akashi Hayato?" _Rin suddenly screeched. She scrambled out of her chair and slammed her palms against the polished desk. It made a loud, intimidating sound that even had the 'supposedly formidable' Hayato wince. Good thing the door was closed. "_How could you?"_

"N-now, Rin," Hayato tried to soothe. "You know this—"

"How could you . . . how could you . . ."

"I know, I know, but—"

_"How could you let this Tetsuya kid be abused for so long?_"

Hayato blinked. "Eh?"

Rin pushed herself off the desk and started pacing the room. A severe frown was on her face. She did her signature habit of stress by running a hand through her hair three times. "That poor boy! Kuroko Tetsuya; he's such a polite child. I've met him once, when Seijuro was coming home from those silly basketball games of his. Seijuro talked about him one time, too, during his middle school days! And he's been abused since? And my son kept this from me?" Rin's left eye twitched again, and she stopped her pacing. She glared at her husband. "I'm going to kill that ungrateful boy of ours. How dare he keep this from me?"

"He had his reasons," Hayato cautiously defended. Knowing his wife, if he didn't defend his son just a little, Seijuro might as well avoid home for the next few weeks.

"And this Kuroko Ibuki?" his wife scoffed. "Let's see; Kuroko Ibuki, mysteriously owns two identities and three of the largest corporations in Japan, ridiculously has high influence, 36 years old, and graduated from the University of Tokyo." Like Hayato, Rin knew the infamous Kuroko Ibuki and had memorized most of her basic information on the top of her head.

A demonic aura started to emit from the tall woman. Her eyes swirled with fury. "I'm going to crush that woman," Rin snarled.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves yet," Hayato warned, keeping the fear he felt in the back of his throat. "You are mostly correct about her, but she has three identities, actually."

"Three? That doesn't show up in the records."

"Mm, but our oh-so-smart son called all three incorporations and found out three identities." He pulled out the notes he and his son had taken the other day.

Rin took it and examined everything thoroughly but quickly. "I see. Seijuro did a rather good job in gathering basic evidence," she wiped a fake tear dramatically. "That boy would be the best lawyer in the future."

"Not happening. He always talks about being some professional Shogi player." Hayato sighed. "Anyway, I gave him a list of people he could contact. I'm trying to find records deep about Ibuki's past, but they're all locked."

"Nothing should be locked from us," Rin informed him. "Unless our client wishes for it to do so, all records should be there."

"I know that," he said wryly. "But it's not there."

The red-haired woman crossed the room to stand beside her husband. She leaned over his shoulder to access his computer, quickly typing in the password and accessing the kept records on his computer. Hayato could smell her sweet and subtle perfume this close, and he was suddenly reminded why he married her in the first place.

"If I catch you thinking dirty thoughts in your rather filthy mind, I'll kill you," Rin snapped, knowing exactly what was on her husband's mind.

"Give me some credit," Hayato sighed. "You accessed the basic records of Kuroko Ibuki, right?" He asked to which Rin applied with an "Mm." The man explained further, "Anything else, I can't access it."

"It's either the higher authorities who locked it or hid it, or Ibuki actually used her influence in the government to hide her past," she muttered. "I am thinking it is the latter."

Hayato hummed in agreement. "Still, unless it's serious or the government actually security locked, we, who has more power in law than anybody in Japan, should be able to access more than simple information like this."

"Her criminal files would open easily to us if we were to make this an official case."

"With who as the prosecutor?"

Both attorneys imagined their son as the prosecutor and smirked. "Let's not make it official, yet," Hayato decided. "It's better not to make it public for Ibuki to know."

Rin didn't answer. Instead, she pulled a chair over to sit next to her husband. Hayato let her take over his computer, knowing she was always the faster one to access hidden files. "Criminals records should be there, if she has any," she said. The moment she tried to access it, though, the computer rang and a pop up appeared:

ACCESS DENIED

PASSWORD?

Rin clucked her tongue and clicked in the space for the password. "You know the code?" Hayato asked, surprised.

"Ibuki isn't the only one that has connections," she replied tersely. "I happen to have police companions." She wiggled her fingers over the keyboard. "Let's see. J-R-Q-V-D-A-3-9-M-1-A." With her ridiculous memory, she typed in the 11 needed characters. Another pop up showed on their screen:

ACCESS GRANTED

Hayato whistled at his wife's ability. Only one file appeared on his computer though, and Rin clicked on it. Both raised their eyebrows at what came up. "Past abuse records?" she murmured. "How interesting." She clicked on it, again, and read what came up aloud. "Charged for physical abuse in public, two months of probation. Victim was _, attacked at both head and abdomen. Reasons unknown." Rin read three more of the abuse records, each with similar information as the first. Hayato's frown became more distinct at each word Rin read.

"This does not contain enough information for a criminal record," he said after she was done. "Where's the date she was sentenced? Trial date? The date of crime? The victims' names? The codes she broke, amendments, policies? Even the description of herself should be there, along with her personal information."

"Also," Rin moved to another file on his computer. "Ibuki seems to have moved all four times, moving to a further location than the first. Do you think that has to do with the abuse records?"

Hayato groaned and covered his eyes. "I do feel like we are detectives, rather than lawyers."

"Half of her records are either still hidden or erased. I'll take note of this and have two of my best workers look further into it." Rin wrote something swiftly on a notepad that was on his desk, ripped out the piece of paper and folded it to put into her pocket. "I'll be leaving now. I have an official case to work on. Next time you see Seijuro, tell him I'm waiting for him." A sadistic smirk appeared on her face before she stood up and walked dramatically out of his office.

The red-head sighed and leaned back on his chair, spinning around to face the large window that led out to Kyoto's busy streets. "Well, Kuroko Ibuki," he muttered out loud. "You have the two best lawyers in Japan against you. What's your next move?"

* * *

**~Setting Skip~**

"Sorry I'm late!" Kise waved his arm around to catch the attention of two basketball players. One of them was holding an overly large pink pencil, and the other was grumpily stuffing his hands into his pockets. The two had sour expressions on their faces.

"Oi, Kise," Aomine complained. "You were the one that called us out, so why are you late?"

"This is very troublesome," Midorima muttered and gripped his 'lucky item'. "I had to convince Mother to let me go for the day."

"Pft, you have to ask your mother to go out?" Aomine laughed. Midorima ignored him.

Kise scratched his head sheepishly. "S-sorry! The people at my modeling job wouldn't let me go until later." Truth be told, Kise all but ran out of the modeling agency to make it on time, even though fans and photographers chased him all the way to the station. You could see his face was red from running so hard, and that his breathing was faster than normal. Aomine hungrily checked out his partner's mandatory outfit for his modeling job. Kise, noticing Aomine's eyes, blushed and yelled, "S-stop it, Aominecchi!"

"Eh? I'm not doing anything," the tanned teen retorted. He put a large hand over the blonde's head and got close to his face. Kise squeaked. "So?" Aomine scowled. "Why'd you call us here?" Kise could smell the blue-haired teen's scent from how close he was.

"You probably called us for Kuroko, am I correct?" Midorima asked, pushing his glasses up with his middle finger. The glare reflected onto the lens.

The ace of Kaijou leaped out Aomine's grasp, to the tanned teen's disappointment, and answered Midorima's question: "Yep! I want to visit Kurokocchi. It's not fair he has to go back to that Hell of a place, especially when Akashicchi is all the way in Kyoto. You guys live in Tokyo anyway, right?"

Aomine scoffed. Midorima 'humphed'. Kise grinned. "Great! Let's go!"

"Wait." Midorima's composed voice stopped the hyper blonde. "Do any of us know Kuroko's address?"

Everyone but Midorima sweat-dropped. "W-well," Kise started. "We can always call his father . . ."

"Do you know his phone number?"

Again, it was a negative. Midorima sighed. "As usual, you make plans recklessly. Well, we can look up—"

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that." All three teens whirled around to face the annoying, shrill woman. Teal, long hair, pale, ugly-looking; everybody recognized her.

"Why does this woman always pop up?" Aomine groaned. "Seriously, woman, it's like you're stalking us. Go away."

Ibuki's eye twitched and her lips curled into a snarl. "How dare you speak to me like that, you brat? Do you know how capable I am?"

"Capable of being crazy," he muttered under his breath. Midorima coughed to hide his laugh. Kise only hid behind his lover, scared of Kuroko's mother.

The teal-haired woman had to restrain herself. _This is public. I can't attack them, _Ibuki warned herself. "I'm simply here to gather some answers, and I will be out of your sight," she said tightly. "If you all cooperate, no harm will be done." She looked at a picture, then up to the three players. "Midorima Shintarou, Aomine Daiki, Kise Ryouta."

Aomine grunted. Midorima pushed up his glasses. Kise 'eeped'.

"If you all answer my questions, I will make sure your families get promoted in the social standings."

Kise frowned at that. "But Kaa-san would get angry that I ratted out someone for her. I don't want to get scolded." He said this softly.

"Yeah, Mom would give me Hell." Aomine shuddered. The only person that could scare the tanned teenager was his devil of a mom.

"Father would definitely scold me," Midorima added. "Mother would probably take away all of my lucky items. I cannot have that."

She glared at the teen boys. "All I want are answers! I did not say anything about this silly thing called 'ratting out'."

"And what would the questions relate to, Kuroko Ibuki?" The tallest of them all asked smartly while gripping his pink pencil.

"Akashi Seijuro," Ibuki replied bluntly. "I want to know what his business with me is, what he plans to do, and why all of you are involved with my son."

Aomine raised in an eyebrow, one eye wider than the other. "Hah? Sorry, but-"

"If we," Kise stepped out partially from behind Aomine's back. His voice was hesitant. "If we answer your questions, will you stop hurting Kurokocchi?"

_Hurt? _Ibuki blinked blankly at them. She honestly had no clue what the blonde was talking about. "You mean, Tetsuya? I don't hurt him; I only discipline him as needed."

Suddenly, Midorima and Kise wrapped their arms around Aomine, who yelled an enraged cry and tried to charge at the woman. The tanned skin's power was brutal, and both Midorima and Kise had trouble stopping him from attacking Ibuki. "Does leaving bruises on every inch of his skin count as discipline?" Aomine shouted. "Throwing him from the second floor? Breaking his bones? Nearly killing him? Drawing blood? _Is_ _that what you call 'discipline'?_"

"Aominecchi!" Kise pleaded. "Calm down!"

"You're only giving her more reasons and evidence to take us to court," Midorima whispered fiercely. "Pull yourself together."

Ibuki watched amused as the two players tried to calm the tanned teenager. Aomine snapped out of his violent anger when he realized the mocking look on Ibuki's face. He shoved off Midorima and Kise with a grunt, frustrated that he had shown weakness in front of the woman. He kept a hand over the blonde's head, though, as a way of saying 'thank you'. Kise hummed and leaned against Aomine's shoulder.

"We're not going to answer your questions," Midorima said. "Truth be told, Akashi likes to hide important information from us for this very reason. However," he did his habit of pushing up his glasses, "His and our business with you is Kuroko Tetsuya."

"I figured as much," Ibuki sneered. "My son is perfectly happy in our home. There is no need for you to interfere with _our_ life."

"That's up for Akashi to decide," Aomine retorted. "Come on, Kise, Midorima. Our plans just got ruined."

"I won't let you near him!" the woman yelled as they turned their backs on her. "You won't even be able to lay your filthy eyes on Tetsuya."

Midorima sighed. "We will see."

Ibuki let out a frustrated sound. "Why? Why do you rely so much on this Akashi Seijuro?" Now all of them turned back to her fully, watching as the crazed woman lost herself. "Don't you know I can destroy all of you?" she suddenly shouted. Bystanders stopped and stared fearfully. Adults hid their children. "I'm the most powerful woman in Japan! I have this country in the palm of my hands! The Akashi family can be easily crushed, and _you don't care_?" Ibuki sank down to her knees and stares at her hands. "Every time, that boy is healed. I go out of my way to _punish_ him; _break_ him, but it never works. _Someone_ always heals him. He mocks me every day with that blank face of his. He's the only one related to me that hasn't fallen in my hands," Ibuki clenched her fists.

"It's your entire fault!" she roared hysterically as she pointed to the frozen basketball players. "It's yours! Stop interfering with me! Let that wretched boy break!" Her screeches had more people stop, and some questioned whether they should call the police.

Aomine was first to snap out of his trance. He grabbed Midorima's shoulder with one hand, wrapped his other arm around Kise, and tugged them back for them to start moving. The blonde and green-head managed to snap out of it, too, and all three of them started to retreat far away from the screeching woman.

"To have a mother like that," Kise whispered. He had to lean against Aomine for support. "I'm sorry, Kurokocchi."

**~Setting Skip~**

"Mm, Dad?" Kagami mumbled sleepily through his phone, rolling over on his back on his bed. There was no after-school practice today, so he had the whole afternoon off. His plans were to sleep, eat, and then sleep again. Apparently, though, fate didn't want him to rest.

"Taiga," his dad greeted, just as sleepy-sounding.

"Isn't it around two in the morning for you, old man?" Kagami asked with a sigh. He swung his legs over his bed and stretched with a loud ground. He didn't bother with his hair, knowing it'd be a huge mess.

"Who was it that told me to research Kuroko Ibuki?" His father replied, a little more awake. "And judging by how you're addressing me, you're probably not very interested."

This had Kagami's attention. "No, no, no, no!" the ace suddenly yelled into the phone. "Wait a damn second old—D-Dad! . . . Please!"

Kagami's father snorted over the phone. "There's no point in adding 'please' at the end when you've already said something rude." He yawned loudly and shuffled some papers, to which Kagami could hear. "I didn't get much information, by the way."

"But you did get something, right?"

"You can say that," his dad grumbled. "I couldn't get anything else from Kuroko Ibuki, probably because her files were mysteriously locked in the sister branch in Japan. The fact that they're locked doesn't mean it won't stop rumors, though. I managed to get something from talking to several people in the sister branch." He stopped to mutter, "The long-distance phone costs . . . My Japanese was rusty, too, so it was an extremely long process."

"What did you find?" Kagami couldn't help but impatiently ask.

"Stop getting so excited. It's nothing special. All I found was that Kuroko Ibuki seems to have come from an entertainment background."

The ace of Seirin raised both eccentric eyebrows. "Hah? Entertainment background?"

"Her mother and father seemed to be popular entertainers," he informed. "Very popular, but Ibuki seems to have literally erased their names. I can't tell you the names because there were several different names I was told. It's not evidence-proofed. Also, I was told her mother was somewhere between a magician to a singer to a damn host to a knitting show," Kagami's dad let out a frustrated sound. "Her father's information is even worse. All I can confirm is that they were both entertainers."

Kagami didn't know how to respond to that. He worked his tongue and mouth for a minute, before blurting, "Dad . . . how can this help me?"

"How the Hell should I know?" his father snapped back. _Dad's going into his cranky mood. I should hang up soon. _"You said to look up everything I could to help your friend and to tell you everything I could find. Well, there it is."

He pressed his lips together. "Every clue helps, I guess," he sighed. "Thanks, Dad."

"You're paying a visit to America for this."

"I'll go on the next break." Both of them hung up.

Kagami threw his phone across the room. "Parents are entertainers . . ." he let out a loud groan and messed his hair with his hands. "What the Hell is that supposed to mean?"

**~Setting Skip~**

"Father gave me a rather short list." Akashi frowned at the list of contacts that contained the names, phone numbers, and addresses. "This must mean there are not that many people that are not under the influence of Ibuki and are trusted. I will call the first three."

He was inside his Kyoto's complex. It was much bigger than his temporary apartment in Tokyo, and much more intimidating, too. Red furniture decorated the large apartment, complimenting the smooth, white walls and the wooden floor. There were five rooms; his bedroom, two guest rooms, one mysterious room, and an office room. When entering, Akashi would be greeted by his living room, with the kitchen to the right.

These weren't factors that made it intimidating. The fact that it was so freakishly clean and almost normal-looking made it intimidating. It looked perfectly normal how a pair of sharpened shears sat right near the patio door that led to his actually-lively plants (that were actually mostly small plants, so the reason why he had shears were unknown), and it was perfectly fine that a butter knife sat on the counter next to a basket of fruit, along with a black pair of scissors next to it.

Basketball championship and Shogi competition trophies stood in line on shelves, further scaring anyone who would dare challenge Akashi Seijuro in a basketball or Shogi match.

Akashi sat casually on his red sofa, grabbed his other phone that he used outside of his social area, and dialed the first set of numbers his father gave him. The phone rang for minutes, until he was taken to an automatic message. He hung up, dialed again, and waited.

This time, the person picked up. "Hello? Who is it that I am speaking to?"

"Akashi Seijuro," the red-head fearlessly told his name. "You are Tsubaki Kaname." It was a statement, not a question.

" . . . Akashi Hayato's son, was it?"

"Yes."

"Ah," Tsubaki Kaname's voice suddenly turned nervous. "How can I help you, Akashi-san?"

"Hm," Akashi tapped his fingers against the seat of his couch. "Are you aware of the name, Kuroko Ibuki?"

The name came as a shock to Kaname, as he had tried to rid of the name for a long time, "Yes, I've heard of him. I used to work for his corporation a long time ago, but I quit because he always hired clueless employees," Tsubaki Kaname added bitterly at the end.

_Clueless employees, _Akashi noted of it. "I regret bringing up any bad memories," he didn't regret it, "Though I need some information on . . . him. Do you happen to know anything unusual about him? It does not necessarily have to 'stand out', but anything unusual would help."

"If you don't mind me asking, help with what? Why are you suddenly calling me about Kuroko Ibuki?"

"I do mind," Akashi said coldly.

It was silent on the other end for a few seconds, only the sound of Kaname's quick breathing over the phone could be heard. "I don't know anything too unusual," he finally said. "Our real boss never came out to the public, and we never saw his face. We only knew of his name and his popularity . . . But, I did see something on the news years ago, when I was still working for them."

The red-head had his pen ready. "And that is?"

"It came up on just a small headline on the Internet. It was discovered that Kuroko Ibuki had undergone numerous surgeries for many years."

"Surgeries?"

"Plastic surgeries, to be exact."

Akashi's eyebrows rose, but he furiously scribbled it down. "When was this?"

"I can't give you an exact date, but I found this around . . . 15 to 16 years ago?"

His eyebrows went up a centimeter more. How old is Tsubaki Kaname? "This information is noted. I do not need to warn you to keep quiet about this, do I?"

"No. Hayato-san is a good friend of mine."

"Hm." Akashi disconnected the call.

He leaned his back against the sofa and stared at the blank TV in front of him. "Fifteen to sixteen years ago, right about when Tetsuya was born. And to have it go on the news must have meant she was in Japan, and already on the start of being an influential woman." He tapped his foot impatiently. "Counting the fact Tsubaki Kaname addressed her as a man; that must mean the news page Tsubaki read had addressed her as a man, as well." Akashi glanced at his filled note-pad and gave a subtle frown. "If the surgeons who did the plastic surgeries saw the news, would they not be confused and address her as a woman?" He suddenly narrowed his eyes as one of the million puzzle pieces fit in with another. "Unless . . . it was done in another country."

Akashi grabbed the phone again and dialed the second number. The second conversation went as similar to the first:

"Yeah, I can confirm that she did have plastic surgery," the woman over the phone babbled. "It was on the news, way before you were born, I think. But also because I know of a friend who _still_ works for her, and she told me that her boss, being Kuroko Ibuki, had plastic surgery. She never saw how she looked, though. So, you're Akashi Hayato's son, right? I work in a small law firm, and I was wondering—"

He hung up.

The next name on the list had a small star beside it. Akashi looked at the star his father made beside the name, trying to configure the meaning. _Is there something different about this person? Is this person the least trusted? Will he obey my command or . . ._ Akashi raised both eyebrows. _Ah. I see._

"Hello?" a monotone voice answered through the line.

"Takumi," Akashi greeted.

"No honorifics? Who is this?"

He sighed at the usual, boring introductions. "Akashi Seijuro."

"I see." Unlike the others, Takumi had no surprise nor fear or hesitance in his voice. It was a simple, dead tone. "How can I help you?"

"Do you know of . . . Suzuki Akihiko?" Akashi took a guess at the name.

Akashi was correct. The man replied again without hesitance, "Yes. I know of him. Hard not to; I believe he owns three large businesses."

_Him. _The second speaker addressed Ibuki as a woman, but the first and last addressed her as a man. "Do you know anything unusual about Akihiko?"

"Not particularly."

The point guard of Rakuzan glared at Takumi's name on the piece of paper. _Why would Father give me a person who could be rendered useless? _Then another thing clicked. "Takumi, I am aware this sounds strange, but what did you used to specialize in?"

" . . . I used to specialize in psychological profiling. I _was_ a profiler."

_Check mate._

* * *

Akashi placed his second phone back in its place and sighed. Talking was simply a chore. Lately, he had been making too many calls, which was unlike his character. Speaking to people who looked down on him until they realized he was 'Akashi Hayato's' son irritated him to no ends.

_I suppose I should—_

The phone vibrated again. This time, it was his personal phone. "I have had enough talking for today. If it is something useless, I will make sure their training is tripled," Akashi muttered and pulled out his phone, checked the caller ID, and answered, "Ryouta."

"Akashicchi." Kise's voice was not as upbeat as it usually was. Akashi immediately knew something happened.

"Ryouta, what is wrong?"

"Ahh, well," the blonde gave a nervous laugh, obviously stalling to tell the truth. "I knew you would find out anyway, so I had to—"

"Idiot, you're taking too long. Give me it." A rough voice interrupted Kise's. There was the sound of static, protests, and shuffling. The red-head "patiently" waited for them to settle down. When they did, Aomine's voice took over, "Akashi, you there?"

"Daiki. I am."

The ace gave a scoff over the phone and yelled, "Oi, Midorima! Restrain Kise for me! . . . Hmph. Well, I'll get to the point: We met up with that Kuroko Crazy today."

Akashi refused to let any surprise show on his face. _Is she targeting everyone in the Generation of Miracles? _"Oh? And did something major happen? Did she happen to confess, or threaten you?" He let the question _'Did he hurt you?'_ hang in the air.

"The woman thinks she doesn't have anything to confess. She really thinks she's doing the right thing. And yeah, of course she threatened us with her social standing or whatever. And then . . . she kind of broke down."

"Broke down?"

"I don't know; a crazy seizure? She just collapsed in the middle of the sidewalk, sobbing and screaming how it was all our fault because Tetsu couldn't 'heal'. Then she started raving about how she wanted break him, but somebody always 'healed' him. Really, those were the exact terms she used." Aomine grunted, and Akashi could hear him hit something. "The whole damn thing pisses me off!"

"She came to us first with an intention of gathering information." It was Midorima's voice form the background. "About what your plans were."

"Did you answer her questions?" Akashi asked absently as he scribbled down the events on another piece of paper.

"We did not."

"Good," Akashi praised, pleased. "Did she attack you in any way?"

It took a while for Aomine to answer. "Not—physically. But her words shook Kise pretty bad."

"I see."

"Give me the phone, Aominecchi!" Aomine must have complied, because it was now Kise's voice that was dominant over the phone. "Akashicchi! Besides Kurokocchi's mother, Kagamicchi met up with me the other day."

This piece of information interested him more than Kuroko Ibuki. "Oh? Kagami Taiga from Seirin?"

"Yeah, that's him. Akashicchi . . . he's starting to get curious. Really curious about Kurokocchi."

"Is he? In what way?"

"I think—he's starting to do some serious research on Ibuki. He might catch on, soon, if he hasn't already."

The red-head smirked and wrote Kagami's name down. _Hm, it might be impossible to keep it from him, no matter how unintelligent he looks. _"Well," he purred. "If we can't keep the truth from him, he might as well be useful to me."

**~Setting Skip~**

Kuroko grabbed his workbooks, folders, and notes that were handed to him from his homeroom teacher. It was all of his missed schoolwork from when he was gone. He figured it was best to work on them all day today, so that when he returned tomorrow, he would mostly be done with the missing work. In addition, he had missed too many school days, and his teammates would definitely be suspicious if he didn't return to school tomorrow.

"Get well," his teacher said.

"Thank you." Kuroko bowed to his teacher and turned to leave the school campus. He made sure to avoid the basketball gym.

The walk back home was short and not crowded. It was, after all, not rush hour and it wasn't yet time for people to get back home from work. Kuroko made sure not to bump into anyone, since no one could notice him.

He made it to his house, carefully hiding his _slight_ limp as he walked up the driveway. Leaving the door unlocked when he went to his school, Kuroko easily opened the door and crept himself inside his home. He prepared to run, just in case his mother had come back, but he didn't get to when someone yelled, _"You damn brat!" _and a punch connected to his nose.

Kuroko's body fell back against the door, his head slamming into it first before his body. He saw stars before he hit the floor. Pain bloomed from his nose, forcing a grunt out of his usually silent body. Red liquid dripped onto the floor, its small drops staining the once clean hallway. He dimly realized it was his own, gushing from his abused nose. It was broken, for sure. He had heard a crack.

_Stand back up, no matter your injuries. You are vulnerable on your back._

Akashi's words echoed in his mind, and with obvious effort, Kuroko shakily stood back up with one hand on his nose. His white, button-down shirt was now ruined with red stains. He leaned against the front door to steady himself and looked at his mother with heavy breaths through his mouth.

Kuroko's mother stood a few feet away from him, seething with anger. Her hands were clenched; the right fist a little crimson from where she had punched him. Smooth, pink lips were curled into a sneer. "You damn brat, do you know how much you've humiliated me, today?" Ibuki crossed the distance between her son and herself with two, easy steps. She grabbed him by the front of his shirt before he could do anything. "Three kids defied me in front of everyone, today. _Three_ and it's because of _you_!" She sent another punch, this time at his eye. Kuroko refused to let out a sound as he was brought down to the floor again.

His inflicted eye and nose throbbed intensely. He was already starting to feel dizzy. _Stand back up. _Without hesitance, Kuroko grabbed the door knob and tried to stand, his bruises eye closed and the other hand trying to stop the bleeding in his nose. He didn't get far, though, when Ibuki's foot swung up and landed right on his stomach.

Kuroko sucked in his breath and fell to his knees, coughing and wheezing at the pain that was just brought to his abdomen. It felt like he was choking. Along with his gushing, broken nose and swollen eye, maybe he was choking, and he didn't know it. "Why don't you just stay down?" his mother screamed and sent another kick to his stomach. This time, Kuroko managed to react from Akashi's training and deftly caught the foot with one hand. Ibuki snarled at this, yanked her leg out of his hold, and kicked her son with her other foot before he could see it coming. "You're feeling brave _now?_ Just stay broken! Useless! Worthless! _You're not my son!_ My son isn't weak, isn't _mocking_, isn't _disobedient!_ And he definitely doesn't humiliate me in public!" she roared and sent an agonizing blow to his chest.

Kuroko spit out blood and tried to breath. His body was burning again. From his nose to his eye to his mid-section; the pain wasn't new, yet he still wasn't used to it, yet. How come, after all this time, he didn't feel numb from this torture?

_Somebody always heals you! _

The injured teen grabbed the oncoming foot tightly, just as it was about to connect, and pulled with the little strength he had left. Ibuki, surprised at this action, let out a yelp as she fell down in front of her son, on her bottom. Kuroko was shocked at how a simple trick could work, and attempted to quickly scramble up before his mother could recover. Unfortunately, he was too slow with his swaying movements, and could barely stand before Ibuki's foot smashed into his face and trapped his head between the door and her foot.

"How dare you?" she hissed. _"How dare you?"_ The shoe she had on was rough against his cheek, and the pressure she put on his face was incredible. He could barely move his head. "Just because you learned some new moves doesn't mean you outrank me, you insolent, worthless _thing_." Her foot grinded against his cheek and head. Kuroko could feel his skull being crushed against the door.

Suddenly, the pressure disappeared, and blood painfully rushed back to his face. Kuroko knew from the back of his mind that the bleeding from his nose wasn't stopping, and that he had to stop it immediately. He also knew he had to get out before anything else could happen.

_The closest exit is right in front me; outside._

It was impossible, though. With Ibuki on guard, he couldn't possibly stand up, open the door, and run before she caught him.

Kuroko slowly opened one of his eyes, wondering why his mother had stopped the abuse. He soon saw the reason, as his father stood at the bottom of the stairs, pale and scared yet determined. Ibuki glared at her husband and challenged, "Are you going to stop me from disciplining him, Haru?"

His father swallowed, and Kuroko threw a silent, pleading yet subtle glance at him. Haru saw his gaze, but quickly broke eye-contact. And then, to Kuroko's horror, the teal-haired man said,

"Of—of course not, Ibuki," he choked out the words. "T-Take out all your frustrations on . . . him."

"Oh?" Ibuki's face distorted into a pleased smile. "Have you finally come to your sense, Haru? I'm glad."

_No . . . But Otou-san . . . he's . . . _

"Did you hear that, Tetsu-_kun_?" his mother drawled. "Your father even approves of my methods."

"N-no," Kuroko whispered.

A hand slapped his swollen cheek hard. "Don't you speak with that monotone voice of yours," she hissed. "I know you're mocking me!"

The beating didn't last much longer. It seemed the encounter with Haru lightened her mood a bit. Kuroko only took a few more kicks, a few more insults, just a little more pain, until it stopped completely. Ibuki then spat on the floor when she got bored and left the house with a 'che'.

It wasn't the beating that had made Kuroko finally become numb or frozen. It was the fact that during the endless pain, he watched his father take out a camera and _take pictures of his mother and himself. _

When Ibuki left, Haru all but dropped the camera and rushed to his son. Kuroko laid there, a small puddle of blood near him, his face swollen from the constant attacks. "Tetsuya, don't move, I'll—"

Kuroko gently slapped his outstretched hand. "Please do not touch me," the boy said quietly.

The words made Haru freeze. Kuroko's father's eyes widened in horror and fear, and his mouth opened and closed before the words came out, "No, Tetsuya, you do not understand! Akashi did not explain—"

Kuroko did not bother to listen. He was making a huge effort to stand without help. His hands pushed him off slowly, and he ignored the pain his body was signaling to his brain. Somehow, miraculously, Kuroko managed to stand. The images before him were extremely blurry, and everything moved in front of him, but it didn't matter. His destination was his bathroom.

He took one step, and then swayed at the pain. Haru grabbed his son's arms to steady him. "Please, Tetsuya, let me explain it to you."

"Please do not touch me," Kuroko whispered again. His blue eyes were blank and soulless. He stumbled out of his father's arms, and then started his journey again. _One step, two steps, three—_he leaned on the wall to stop himself from falling. The slightest movement cut his breath short.

Haru came behind him, without touching, and softly said, "I understand you are disgusted with me right now, but let me at least guide you to the first-aid."

"Please do not touch me." The same, painful words came from the injured teen. He was like a robot, injured but numb; there was nothing to see from his face.

"Tetsuya!"

Kuroko stopped to lean against the wall again. He looked at his feet, where droplets of blood fell. Haru firmly but carefully clasped his hands on Kuroko's arms. "No matter how stubborn, I will lead you to the stairs."

His son didn't respond, so Haru took that as an 'okay'. He helped his lifeless son to the stairs, taking slow steps at a time. By the time they got there, Kuroko was out of breath. "Do you want me to—"

"No," Kuroko gently brushed off his father's hold. "Please do not touch me again . . . Otou-san."

The words made the tears from Haru's eyes fell. Haru dropped down to his knees, his hands shaking as he did so. He watched as his son dragged his half-dead body up the treacherous stairs, leaving trails of blood behind. At the sight, the father buried his face in his hands. "You do not understand," he cried.

_Your job might be . . . difficult emotionally, but it is fairly easy in terms of capability. . . . But I do believe you can do this best._

~  
I know, it's been forever since I updated. I was actually on vacation with New Year's and such :) But to make up for it, this is the longest chapter I have ever written, with about 7,000 words, beating my record of 4,797 by a lot. Many things happened in this chapter.

I told you from now on it'd be about destroying Ibuki. Every. Clue. Counts. Remember that. There are no useless scenes.

Thank you for reviewing and reading! Please tell me of typos.


	14. Chapter 14

**Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form**

**Chapter 14**

* * *

Kagami scratched his head as he looked down at his vibrating phone. It was from an unknown number. He had just come back from practice—Kuroko was still missing—and was on his way home, when his phone vibrated in his back pocket. He didn't recognize the phone number, so he was hesitant in answering. But, being Bakagami, he still pressed the green button, "Hello?"

"Kagami Taiga," a familiar, cold voice washed over Kagami. He furrowed his eccentric eyebrows to remember the voice. "I am Akashi Seijuro, former captain of Kuroko Tetsuya. I believe our first encounter was not exactly pleasant."

_Akashi? Akashi—that sounds familiar. _"Wha—you're that scissor-crazy kid!" Kagami suddenly shouted.

"Scissor-crazy?" Akashi said dryly. "I only attempted to stab you because of your disobedience."

The tall red-head sweat-dropped. What was he, a dog? "How did you get my number?"

"You don't need to know."

Kagami swallowed and took swift glances around from where he was standing. "What—what do you want? Why'd you call me?"

"You're interested in Kuroko's past, are you not?" The question made Kagami freeze. "No, not his past, particularly, but what we're hiding from you. You've been conducting research on his mother."

"How do you know this?"

"Don't question me," Akashi cut in. "Come to this address immediately. I'll be waiting."

Kagami listened to the following address, quickly grabbing out a pen from his bag and writing it on his hand. When he took a second glance at it, he widened his eyes. "Kyoto?" he yelled. "I am not going to somewhere so far this late!"

"If you think your need to know of Tetsuya's situation is not as urgent as I had thought, then I find no need for you to come."

The red-head quieted at the words. All of his curiosity would be sated just by coming to Kyoto. Kuroko's, his partner's, situation of abuse would be revealed easily, and the scissor-crazy kid would tell him. _Isn't this too easy? Just a day or two ago, Kise threatened me. _It was too easy, but the urge to know what was going on was stronger than his natural instincts. "Fine," Kagami said gruffly. "I'll be on the next train."

"The next train is departing in six minutes." Akashi sounded amused.

"_What? _Damn it!" Kagami suddenly tightened his hold on his basketball bag and started sprinting. The train station wasn't that far. "You better wait for me, you shri—I mean, Akashi . . . san . . . please." His voice wavered at the end, remembering his 'polite words' at the last minute.

"Your manners overwhelm me," Akashi said, bored. "I expect you here by eleven at night. Any later than that, I won't permit you into my house."

Kagami was about to retort until all he heard was the dial tone in his phone. He looked at it in disbelief. "What the hell? He calls me at night, expects me to come to Kyoto in a few hours, and then freaking hangs up on me? Damn it, Kuroko." He angrily shoved his phone in his bag. "You hang out with weird people."

The sprint to the train station was short but tiring. He had to wait in a long line to buy his last-minute ticket (it was time for people to go home from work) and realized he had no money on him, except for his emergency card. With the worst luck, he had to get out of line, go to a machine to extract the money, and get back in line at the back. By the time he rushed onto the last train, the doors were closing on his heel.

Since not many people were going all the way to Kyoto at this hour, it wasn't as crowded and cramped as the other trains. Kagami dragged himself to an empty seat and collapsed tiredly onto it. His bag rested to the seat next to him. It was 7:30 in the evening right now, and it took about three and a half hours to reach Kyoto from Tokyo. He would barely make it on time.

"Stupid . . . red-headed shrimp," Kagami mumbled. He nodded his head sleepily. "I'll . . . just sleep for some." His head hit his bag.

**~Setting Skip~**

"We have arrived at Kyoto Prefacture. The doors are opening. Please stand clear of the doors."

The announcer's voice woke Kagami from his deep slumber. He rubbed his eyes grumpily and opened one to look sleepily around. When he saw the doors about to close, he grabbed his bag and stumbled out the door.

"Shit." Kagami glanced at his watch and grimaced. It was already almost eleven. He had about ten minutes to make it. _He wouldn't really not let me in his house after coming all the way here, would he? _Truthfully, he didn't want to know. Just as a precaution, Kagami picked up his pace and run out of the station.

"Taxi!" he called at the streets, waving his hand. Even when it was late in Kyoto, many cars filled up the lit streets. A white taxi car slowly pulled up next to him, the doors unlocking. The tall red-head slid in quickly. "Go to this address. I'll pay extra if you make it there fast," Kagami ordered.

The old taxi driver took the piece of paper, examined the address, and widened his eyes. Without a word, the driver shifted gears and sped down the streets toward the wanted destination. Kagami tapped his foot impatiently in the car, glancing at his watch every minute. Four more minutes until eleven. He would make it, right? The shrimp wasn't really going to lock him out for being a minute late, right?

"We're here," the taxi driver announced suddenly. Kagami immediately scrambled to get his seat belt off, threw the extra money to the driver, and rushed out of the car. He didn't even thank the driver as he slammed the door and ran toward the exact address number he remembered from his paper. It wasn't hard to find because:

One, the door was red, compared to all the regular, black doors.

Two, a familiar red-head stood with his arms and ankles crossed, his back leaning against the door frame.

"You actually made it," the red-head noted, obviously abused at how flustered the tall ace looked. "Yet, I am not surprised, Taiga."

"Don't call me by my first name," Kagami snapped.

Akashi's hetero-eyes flashed dangerously. "I will call you with whatever pleases me," he retorted coldly. He turned his back on the taller teen and walked inside his large apartment. "Well? Are you coming inside?"

The way the shrimp talked ticked Kagami off to no ends. He had seen how the former captain of Kuroko played basketball, and it was true he had skills, but Kagami was still bigger and—possibly—stronger than him (so he thought). _I bet I can beat him in an arm-wrestle match, _Kagami mused.

"Sit," Akashi said curtly and motioned toward his couch. "It is late. Are you hungry?"

"No." Truthfully, Kagami was hungry, but he wasn't going to trust anything Akashi gave him. "So why'd you call me here?"

Akashi grabbed his pile of notes and a notepad to bring over to the table that sat in front of the couch. "You have been interested in Tetsuya's secret, have you not?"

_Tetsuya? . . . Oh, Kuroko Tetsuya. _He swallowed but glowered at the smaller red-head. "He's my partner, now, and I don't give a damn about secrets when our own teammate is getting _beat-up."_ Kagami clenched his hands. "So yeah, I'm _'interested',_ whatever that means. If you 'Generation of Miracles' won't tell me, I'll do the stupid research myself."

Akashi ignored his rude behavior for the moment. "You're getting too nosy," he bluntly stated, sitting across from Kagami and crossed his legs. "You'll only be a hindrance if you continue this . . . That is, if you don't help us." Akashi steepled his fingers and leaned forward. "Instead of becoming a lurking, rather annoying person, you will become useful to us."

"Useful?" Kagami didn't like the way he sounded like a tool.

"Hm," Akashi hummed to agree. "Though it's quite distasteful, you seem to be the most intelligent on the Seirin team. Having you figure out Tetsuya's situation before I explain would certainly cause problems, as you would probably run to your teammates and confess. Am I wrong?"

Kagami shifted guiltily. He wasn't wrong.

"Your motives are obvious," the red-head continued. "I am willing to tell you everything you want to know right now, however," he gave a cold smile that had Kagami stiffen. "This is to be kept confidential. You will not utter a word to Seirin about Tetsuya, understand?" There was no need for an 'or else'. It was implied.

The tall ace sat in his chair quietly, his eccentric eyebrows scrunched together in a frown. While he wanted to tell everybody Kuroko's condition since they were just as concerned as he was, he also wanted to know all the answers he had spent all of his time looking for right then and now. From past experiences, Kagami knew he wasn't the best liar. Would he be able to keep a secret if he was question? He didn't even want to imagine what would happen if he 'accidentally slipped'.

"Fine," Kagami agreed, after deciding knowing was better than being ignorant. "I'll keep it a secret."

Akashi studied him and looked for any type of hesitance in Kagami's clenched face. He found none. "Very well," he leaned back and slung his arm around the back of his chair. "I will answer anything reasonable within my limits."

_Reasonable within my limits?_ Kagami raised an eyebrow. _Might as well ask the most important question first._ "Is Kuroko being beat by someone?"

"Abused is a more suitable word," Akashi said immediately, expecting this question. He leaned back in his chair. "Yes, he was and still is being abused. At the very moment, I am not sure if he is safe." He looked off the side, adding, _But I can't do anything—yet _in his mind.

Kagami pressed his lips together. _I knew it._ "Who is abusing him?" He already knew the answer.

"Kuroko Ibuki," the small captain tersely said. "His mother."

"Who is Kuroko Ibuki?"

"A rather complicated woman," Akashi answered wryly. "A woman of three identities, her information quite mysterious, and owns a psychotic personality. Thirty-six years of age, owns three of the largest and influential business in Japan. No one dares to speak up of her multiple identities . . . and there are very few that are aware of it."

_Three identities . . . psychotic . . _"Only a few know?" Kagami found that almost ridiculous, since if Ibuki was extremely influential and known, would it not be weird for people to find out they were talking about the same person with different names?

"Ibuki has many connections deeper than the government itself. You could say she is invincible in the political and law world."

Kagami took a moment to process this information through his thick head. "How long . . . how long as Kuroko been abused?"

The captain glanced at Seirin's ace coolly. "I was the first to observe Kuroko Ibuki's strange behavior around her son. It was easy to figure the rest when Tetsuya had a feared reaction toward her, along with his excused injuries. This was halfway of our first year in Teiko." Akashi's face tightened suddenly. "I do not know how long Tetsuya has been abused. However, I do know it has been going on for years, before I found out the truth."

_For years . . . if Akashi found out in his first year of middle school, then Kuroko was even abused as a little kid? _Kagami put a large hand over his face and let out a soft groan. He should have known. No, he shouldn't have taken Kuroko's poor excuses for his obvious injuries. _To think my own partner was being abused before my eyes._ "What happened that day, the day that Kuroko had to skip school for so long?" His voice was muffled by his hands, and he refused to look up to Akashi's piercing gaze.

"His mother severely injured him that time," Akashi replied. "More than usual. No bones were broken, yet he had many internal bruises. His ribs are barely intact. His mother had dropped—or pushed—him off the second floor."

"The second floor?" Kagami abruptly shouted and jumped from his seat. "Is that woman fucking crazy?"

"Lower your voice," Akashi said harshly. "This is my house. Behave civilly."

Feeling like he was being scolded by his mother, the enraged teen stiffly sat himself down again. "Sorry," he reluctantly grumbled.

"Hm." Akashi tapped his fingers against the chair. "Are you finished with your question?"

"One more," Kagami said. "Why do you want to keep this a secret? Shouldn't we, Seirin, be allowed to know about our teammate?"

"Seirin is a very nosy and loud team. Ibuki absolutely must not know of our plans. She is the most influential woman in Japan; she can get information anywhere she pleases. I will not risk having this case be public." Akashi's voice lowered considerably, as he murmured the next line. It was very soft, so much that Kagami could barely hear him. "It is also for Tetsuya's pride."

Kagami didn't answer. He only stared at the ground beneath his feet, processing the large amount of information that was laid out before his ears. Though he had suspected of it, no, accepted it, he couldn't help but feel guilty he had let Kuroko get hurt. He had been fed the obvious lies from Kuroko and never questioned it. Yet, for years, his shadow was being abused.

"Now that you are done," Akashi interrupted his brooding time, "It is my turn." He grabbed the notebook from the table and set it in front of Kagami, turning it to the first page. "These are the evidence, clues, and information I managed to receive of Kuroko Ibuki. Know that my father and you are the only ones who have read this; no one else. If any of this information is breeched from you, you will not like the consequences."A shiver went down Kagami's spine. "Good. You understand. Read through the notes. On the last page, write down everything you know that is not noted, yet."

"Everything . . . that I know?"

"You have been conducting research, have you not?

"Well, yeah, but—"

"No matter how small or useless the information may seem, write it down. I need to know everything."

Frowning severely, Kagami picked up the notepad and began to analyze the first page of notes. As expected, Akashi had line after line filled with information from his talent of researching and finding connections. Most of the information Kagami held was already jotted by Akashi's neat, yet hasty handwriting. By the time he finished the second page, he didn't think he had anything that wasn't already written down.

Akashi waited 'patiently'. "Well?"

"Err," Kagami scratched his head and picked up the pen. _Well, there was that piece of useless information my old man told me. Would that really help? _He quickly wrote down that one note his father had told him. "There's only one thing that I know but you don't have. I doubt it's helpful though."

Akashi grabbed the notepad and looked at the messy characters. 'Ibuki's parents were entertainers before their death', it read.

The small red-head smirked.

_Hm._

**~Setting Skip~**

Kuroko lied in his bed, many pillows supporting his head and body. His blank eyes stared at the white ceiling. He didn't move. The pain would come back if he did. While staying like this all day caused him anxiety, since he couldn't get his father's words out of his head, or his actions, Kuroko refused to move.

He had tried to go to school in the morning. With his father gone and his mother still sleeping, Kuroko carefully, painfully, sneaked through his home to walk to school. However, when he made it to homeroom, his body could barely hold him up anymore. He had managed to sit in his appointed seat, noting that Kagami was missing from school.

Somehow, the teal-haired boy made it through homeroom, but by the time he stood up to go to his next class, he collapsed. His teacher, miraculously noticing him, rushed over to his side and called for the nurse. He was taken to the nurse's room, but stopped them from calling his mother or father.

"But Kuroko-kun, something must be wrong with your health. We have to call at least your father!" his Sensei had cried to him.

"Don't worry, Sensei," Kuroko said. "I am just tired. May I go home?"

With more negotiating, the teacher and nurse reluctantly sent him home. Kuroko managed to walk home without falling.

This was how he ended up on the bed for the rest of the morning, laying and staring, his father's actions repeating over and over in his mind. _Otou-san did not do that without good reason, _he had tried to convince himself, but to no avail.

After the act of betrayal from his father, Kuroko had carefully cleaned himself up with the backpack he had dragged with him. Akashi had provided him with everything, including bandage wraps, ice packs, disinfectant, and painkillers. He did not know if his nose was broken or not. For the whole day, he was cautious to breathe through his mouth.

_Will there be a day where Okaa-san will not come after me?_

A knock from his window interrupted Kuroko's thoughts. At first, it was faint, so he thought it was his imagination. However, the knock came again, this time louder. Kuroko slowly peeled off his blankets and moved out of bed like a sloth, his injuries aching more.

"A . . . knock on my window?" Who would be able to reach his window? His bedroom was on the second floor. There was a tree that stretched up to his room, but the branches were very high. In fact, the 'lowest' first branch was near his window.

Kuroko shuffled to his window and opened his blinds. His blank eyes widened a few centimeters.

There he was, Akashi Seijuro, sitting on the said branch with a red eyebrow raised in expectation. Akashi gestured toward the window. Kuroko tried his best to quickly unlock his window and lift up the glass, filling the room with cold, uninvited air. "Akashi-kun—"

"You don't need branches to climb a tree," Akashi answered his unspoken question. "I used to climb many trees from simple trunks." He showed his hands to silent teal-haired teen. "I have gloves."

Kuroko studied the sturdy, winter gloves before asking, "Why are you here, Akashi-kun? Okaa-san can come any moment."

"From my current information, your mother right now is working at the Atari Corporation. Her working hours will end in four hours. Let me in."

The small boy had no choice but obey and limped back to give Akashi room to jump through the window. Akashi narrowed his eyes at the limp, smoothly swinging himself inside the warm room. When his feet touched the floor, Akashi immediately walked forward to gently grasp Kuroko's chin. The teal-haired teen held his breath.

"You're injured badly," Akashi observed and clucked his tongue. "Your mother? Already?"

"It is not as bad," Kuroko whispered.

Akashi glared at him. "Your nose is swollen. Is it broken?"

"I don't know."

The captain sighed at his former teammate's ignorance. He reached a hand toward Kuroko's nose, ignored the natural flinch, and softly probed the outer bridge of the nose. Akashi made sure nothing unusual was inflicted internally in Kuroko's nose. "It's not broken," he confirmed. "But it is swollen and injured. You will do well to ice it."

"Hai," Kuroko said without a fight.

Akashi nodded, satisfied at the answer, and let go of the pale chin. He quickly surveyed the weak body, glad that most of his injuries were self-treated correctly. On Kuroko's cheek, there were still scratches from his mother's sharp heel. His eye was only slightly swollen, since Kuroko had made sure to ice it every fifteen minutes carefully. The starting-to-heal-bruises had turned into purple bruises once more, along with a few additional ones.

"What is wrong?" Akashi asked sternly as he saw the breech of emotion in Kuroko's usual blank eyes. "Does it still hurt a lot? Sit."

Only Akashi could come into someone's house and order them around. Nevertheless, Kuroko listened and sat down on his bed. Akashi came to join him. "You know this is trespassing, Akashi-kun," the teal-haired boy commented.

"I'm hurt," Akashi said monotonously, but replied, "You allowed me to come in. I am not trespassing." Kuroko didn't answer, so the red-head turned his body so that he was fully facing his former teammate. "Tetsuya." The firm tone had Kuroko turn to meet hetero-colored eyes. "What is wrong?" Besides the blatant abuse, something else was bothering the teal-haired boy.

Kuroko gave a light, fake smile. "I am okay, Akashi-kun."

"Are you lying to me?"

The question made Kuroko pause. His smile faded from his lips. "Ah . . ." he clenched his hands and leaned forward, his teal hair covering his eyes. His voice came out as a whisper, "Everything was . . . just a lie. Otou-san lied to me. He . . . lied," Kuroko gazed at his shaking hands. He trembled at every word. "Everyone here . . . was a lie. But Otou-san . . . Otou-san, I didn't expect-" the teal-haired boy stopped talking, not trusting himself to not cry if he went on.

Akashi listened closely to each word the boy whispered. His eyes widened at the word 'Otou-san' and 'lie'. _I told him a few days._

"Quiet," Akashi hushed as Kuroko's breathing became heavier and quicker. "Listen to me, Tetsuya." The red-head grabbed his shoulders and turned him around so that the two were fully facing each other. Kuroko refused to look in his eyes, so Akashi made him by forcing his chin up with two slender fingers. "Everything is not a lie, Tetsuya," he said quietly. "Tell me; am I a lie?"

_Akashi-kun? A lie? To me? _Kuroko found that impossible. "Of course not, Akashi-kun," he denied instantly.

A small smirk curved onto Akashi's lips. "I will never be a lie to you," Akashi declared in an even softer voice and leaned in so that his face was close to Kuroko's. Kuroko could smell his sweet breath from the close distance. "Tetsuya, may I try something?"

Try? "Yes," Kuroko hesitantly replied.

A pair of soft, cold lips met his.

**~Setting Skip~ **

A familiar ring went off in Midorima Shintarou's room. The rice that was held with chopsticks stopped halfway to his mouth. His green eyebrows furrowed, and he set the rice back into his bowl. No one called him during this hour, since they all knew Midorima's 'strict schedule' of calling after school. No one, but a certain person.

"May I be excused, Father? Mother?" the shooter asked.

His father grunted. His mother nodded.

Midorima stood up from the dining table and swiftly walked to his room, where his phone laid on the desk. He picked up his cell phone and checked the caller ID. Sure enough, the name 'Akashi' blinked on and off on his screen. He pressed the answer button, "Akashi," he greeted.

"Shintarou."

"Is there something you need?"

"Actually, there is. Are you free this evening?"

The green-head thought what he had to do after dinner and nodded his head. "I am free. Why?"

Akashi gave a hum of approval. "I have a job for you to do. It concerns Tetsuya."

At the sound of Kuroko's name, Midorima's attention was at its fullest. Even though he would deny it, Kuroko's wellbeing was important to the tsundere. "What it is?"

"I received—some interesting news from Kagami Taiga, Kuroko's new light it seems. I need you to look it up. I am busy tonight, and since your abilities with researching are exceptional, I need you to do it."

Midorima coughed, hiding the fact he was flattered his former captain, who was usually a criticizer, acknowledged him for something. It was true, though. Aside from Akashi, who had important connections because of his parents (not to mention that his parents were two of the best attorneys in Japan, so evidence-searching was a natural instinct to Akashi), Midorima was the best at researching. "What is it that you need me to look into?"

"Apparently, from the new information, Ibuki's parents used to be famous entertainers."

"Entertainers?"

"Yes. Entertainers. Of what, I do not know, since there were not stable clues or evidence to reach a conclusion. I want you to research the names 'Abe Miku' and 'Suzuki Akihiko' for me, especially their parents. If you could get names, that would be helpful. However, I only want what kind of entertainers they were, and if they are deceased, the date of when they died."

"That is all you want me to do?"

"That is all," Akashi confirmed. "Email me all resources you looked through and tell me anything you find out."

Midorima nodded, even though the latter couldn't see him. "I'll do it right away, tonight." There was a few seconds of silence, neither of them hanging up, and the green-head took the chance to hesitantly comment, "You seem . . . happier, Akashi. Are you in a good mood?"

"I am happy, Shintarou. Yes, I am in a good mood." Akashi hung up.

* * *

After dinner, Midorima excused himself for the rest of the day. He locked his bedroom door and turned on his computer. Closing all medical documents he had been analyzing a day before with permission, he opened up a new browser and proceeded to type in 'Abe Miku' and 'Suzuki Akihiko'.

There were many false articles or unreliable articles. Many referred to 'Suzuki Akihiko' as a 'he'. They mainly talked of Suzuki's popularity or Miku's success in expanding her business. Only once in a while would they mention her mysterious background partially, commenting on 'famous entertainers as parents' in some paragraphs.

Both identities had been said to have magicians for parents, singers, dancers, actors, or even hosts of a Japanese comedy show. There were no articles that repeatedly said the same thing. Each resource said something different.

"Is her background really so secluded and complex?" Midorima asked tiredly after hours of researching. "I don't know how Akashi managed to get stable evidence on these identities. Each one has unclear pasts."

Finally, on his last try, he typed in new key words. Only five websites popped up. The shooter clicked on the first one and read it swiftly.

'Abe Miku, daughter of a popular singer for a mother and an actor for a father, is now booming her way up the social standings. Recently expanding her business to the Americas . . .'

Midorima clicked out of the article and selected the next one:

'Abe Miku is recovering past from her parents' death. A singer and actor lost, Abe-san seems to spreading her businesses all over Japan. The funeral was taken place on December 19th, yet Abe-san was not seen there . . .'

_Two articles stating a singer and actor . . . December 19__th__? _Midorima clicked on another one.

'Suzuki Akihiko recently lost his parents in a tragic accident on December 17th. The funeral is not known. Suzuki-san's business is still growing outrageously, though, and seems to be buying the Jingun business on December 21st . . .'

The rest of the articles mentioned the same thing, for both identities. Midorima, knowing it was now true, recorded all the resources, put them on a document, and typed in the notes, including the deceased date, funeral date, and the strange up rise of business after the deaths. Names, on the other hand, were not mentioned.

He uploaded the document to his email and sent it to Akashi, satisfied he was able to do the job.

**~Setting Skip~**

By the time Akashi arrived home in Kyoto, it was already ten in the evening. He was planning to call his father for the night and then rest, but when his eyes caught Aomine and Kise on his doorstep, he knew his night plans would not go as smoothly.

However, he was still in his rare, good mood, and it had to do with someone. The warm impressions on his lips wouldn't leave. "Daiki, Ryouta. Why are you here?" Akashi walked up to them, raising an expectant eyebrow.

"Akashicchi!" Kise cried and flung himself forward to grip the smaller's shoulders. "You have to help them! Please! Use your connections, whatever, I don't care! You have to!"

"Calm down, Ryouta," Akashi said sharply and placed one hand over Kise's. The grip on his shoulders wasn't particularly painful, but uncomfortable. "I don't appreciate being ordered around. Why do I _have_ to do?"

Aomine grabbed the back of Kise's shirt and tugged him off of Akashi. "He's a bit stressed," the tanned teenager gruffly said. "The information isn't sitting too well on him."

"What is it?" Akashi demanded.

"Ibuki destroyed Kise's parents' reputation," Aomine spat bitterly. "And by destroyed, I do mean destroyed. Kise's parents were completely demoted to the last ranking. And you know Kise's old man was the highest captain pilot . . . Their salaries were cut more than half."

"It's horrible!" Kise wiped his eyes with his jacket. "T-Tou-san was accused and 'proved' he was drinking and-and sneaking in dr-drugs, but he would never do that! A-and Kaa-san was blamed for the-the kitchen fire that burned a building a week ago so she can't be on the show anymore." Kise's words were no longer coherent as he sobbed into his hands. Aomine wrapped a strong arm around the blonde and held him close to his body.

"I don't know how she did it," Aomine said in a low voice, "but she managed to make 'hard-proof' evidence for these accusations. Kise's parents are in a mess right now."

"It's not fair," Kise sobbed into Aomine's shirt. "They're getting hurt b-b-because of me. I ang-angered her."

Aomine hushed him and ran a hand through the messy blonde hair. He gave an awkward kiss to Kise's head. "Shut up," the tanned teenager said lightly, never one to be too affectionate and comforting. "You're stuttering. It isn't your fault."

"Aka-Akashicchi," Kise weakly said and wiped his eyes to meet them with angry, hetero-colored ones. "You have to do something about K-Kurokocchi's mother . . . She's going to hurt everyone."

"Trust me Ryouta," Akashi coldly replied, his good mood gone in a flash. A strange glint appeared in his eyes. "I will stop her."

* * *

After Akashi got Aomine and Kise on a paid taxi to the station, the red-head entered his room and went straight to his computer. He checked his email first and noticed Midorima's email right away. He clicked on it and, ignoring the list of resources, went straight to his notes. There, dates and occupations were typed.

_Good job, Shintarou. _Akashi made a note to demand Midorima's captain to cut his training menu by half. "Singer and actor, hm? Why no names?" he read the rest of the notes. "Business growing just after the death? There was a deal—on December 21st. That must be the key date."

He opened up a new browser and typed in key words. His main goal was to find out a list of famous entertainers who died the week just before December 21st on the same year Ibuki made a deal. After confirming reliable resources, he only came up with seven names.

"Seven, huh?" Akashi read through them quickly. "Two of them are neither singers nor actors. This leads to five." The red-head stretched his arms and opened and closed his hands. _I'll be researching every single thing about these entertainers._

He looked off to the side, where a Shogi board was set up innocently in his room, the pieces still in place from the last time he played. "Well, Ibuki," Akashi murmured.

"You've made your move. It's now my turn."

* * *

I am extremely sorry for being two weeks late. My relative was unexpectedly in an accident, so I balanced my time between my school exams (the semester is coming to an end) and to go to the hospital. But don't worry! Now that the exams are over and my relative is being released, I will have tons of time, so be on a look out for my fast updating again!

I am extremely sleepy. I was planning to finish this tomorrow, but I know you guys have been patient. That's why I stuck out until the end (It's 2 AM right now). But, I have no time to edit, so PLEASE tell me if there is some weird typo or verb confusion or word confusion somewhere. Please, I know there are some strange typos.

Well, the story is progressing! I lied. There will be more than 20 chapters. Well, more to come :) [By the way, my story is being translated into French, Russian, and Vietnamese, to those who are having trouble with English, these are the only languages that will be translated _soon. _If you know another language and would like to translate, by all means, do :] Just credit me, and it'll be fine.

**Extra note: You have noticed I have been updating very late (Don't worry, it won't happen again, I hope). However, if it does, I want to be able to tell all my fans that. I can't put author notes as a chapter, though [and that would severely disappoint people who would think they're chapters xD], and I can't message everybody one by one. Any suggestions? Should I make some kind of Facebook/Twitter/whatever? I'm not sure. Oh, well, I promise it will not take as long to update anymore!**

~Virelei


	15. Chapter 15

**Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form**

**Chapter 15**

Akashi Hayato rubbed his eyes and groaned while resting his forehead against the desk. Ibuki was the most secretive person he had ever met. If this were a case, he'd probably announce it as the hardest one. Nothing would come up stable and new for her; nothing. It was simply false information or vague facts. His wife had managed to recover some of the abuse records, adding more dates and names of the victims and when she had committed the crime, but other than that, their six hours of researching her led to nothing.

Hayato sighed and lifted his head off the desk. He ran his hand through his signature red-hair. _It's getting long, _the attorney noted. Long to him but in fact, the lawyer's hair was actually still quite short, equaling the length of his son's. "I might as well send the abuse records to Seijuro," he murmured.

"Tell him to come home for the weekend," his wife ordered as she walked past his office. A small smirk was on her face. "He still has to pay for keeping Ibuki from me."

Knowing better than to defy her, he simply nodded and opened his email while dragging the documents and records into a folder. He uploaded the folder and sent it to his son, adding a small message of 'Your mother wants you home for the weekend. Do well to listen to her!' and his signature.

"Hayato." Rin strode in his office and slammed down stacks of paperwork. "Rest from the Ibuki case. You have a new case; the court trial is within a month. I already have two cases, so you take this one."

He looked at the paperwork with a raised eyebrow. "I wouldn't call this resting."

"Call it whatever." Rin waved her hand and turned to walk out. "I'll do all the Ibuki researching for today."

"All right," he sighed as he heard his office door close. Hayato grabbed the first stack and started to review the order, before he blinked and looked toward his door. "Hold on; did she not say she had two cases? Why would she have time to research Ibuki?"

He slapped a hand on his face and groaned, knowing he was once again tricked by his wife.

**~Setting Skip~**

Kuroko quietly walked out of his house and shut the door behind him. His father was still nowhere to be seen, and he didn't know if his mother was in the house or not. He was prepared to go to school fully, today. He had taken strong painkillers and re-bandaged most of his serious injuries. His bruises were most hidden, but his limp was still visible. A white patch stuck on his cheek to tend to the scratches left by the shoe.

Akashi had also helped him disinfectant the places he couldn't reach on his own, such as his back. Kuroko fought a blush from the thought of Akashi. While he had expected a kiss from their position, he was still surprised when he felt Akashi's lips against his. It had been a long but chaste kiss. Kuroko, having no experience, simply awkwardly moved his lips whenever Akashi did. The red-head had chuckled when he pulled away and, as if nothing had happened, asked if he could tend to his wounds.

Kuroko, until now, did not care for his preference for relationships. He didn't have time to worry over something so ridiculous, especially since his mother would hurt anyone who got with him. However, he could not explain the 'uncomfortable' feeling he was experiencing ever since Akashi left.

A ringtone from his phone went off, startling him from his thoughts. Kuroko started to walk [or limp] toward his school while digging for his phone in his pocket. "This is Kuroko," he answered monotonously.

"Tetsu," Aomine's gruff voice echoed through his phone.

"Aomine-kun," Kuroko said with a hint of surprise in his voice. "Is there something you need?"

"Actually, it's about what you need." Aomine sighed over the phone. "Do you need a ride to Seirin? It's a pain in the ass, but I'm close by. And it's kind of stupid and reckless for you to walk if you're injured."

Kuroko blinked, but kept walking toward his school. "Ah. That's kind of you, Aomine-kun. I am fine, though. I will walk."

"Oi, Tetsu," the tanned teenager protested. "I'm offering you a ride here. Akashi would kill me if he found out I let you walk to school alone."

"Tell Akashi-kun I do not need a ride," Kuroko said blankly.

"But—!"

"Thank you, Aomine-kun. Goodbye." He ended the call and put his phone away. Truthfully, Kuroko could use a ride since he knew walking the distance to his school would strain his injuries, but he didn't want to rely on anyone right now. If he couldn't do something as simple as walk to school, he was truly weak.

By the time he reached his homeroom classroom, the bell rang. His teacher nodded at him, obviously relieved his invisible student was fine. Kuroko limped toward his seat and slid himself down. Today, Kagami was here. The red-head turned around once Kuroko sat, and the smaller teen braced himself for the questions.

It never came though.

"Are . . . you okay?" Kagami asked awkwardly.

Kuroko blinked at him. "Hai, I am fine. I was simply in an accident, so I had to rest for a few days."

Kagami grimaced at the lie but nodded. "That's—good. I guess. I mean, that you're okay." He rested a large hand over Kuroko's teal head, trying to ignore an exposed bruise on his wrist and the bandage on his cheek. "At least tell us. Riko has been muttering the last few days about killing you."

Kuroko swatted the hand away from his head and sighed. Yes, he would have to make up the loss of practice, soon. He knew he was in no condition to practice still (Akashi would definitely find out), but the least he could was attend the practices to watch.

It was still weird, though, that Kagami wasn't asking him any frantic questions or demanding him angrily to tell him what happened the day his mother showed up during practice. If anything, he had expected Kagami to be the angriest of all.

School passed by without incident. Besides being late for almost every class because of his slow walk, Kuroko managed to get through the day without collapsing. He didn't bump into any of the Seirin basketball members, except for Kagami of course since he was in his class. He ignored Kagami's abnormal behavior and avoided people who didn't notice him.

"Stand! Bow!"

"Good work today," the students chanted.

Kuroko packed up his notes and slung his bag over his shoulder, wincing as he did so. "There's practice after school." Kagami stretched and gave a loud yawn. "You shouldn't go, though."

"No, I've missed a lot. I'll just watch."

"Are you sure?" Kagami casted a worried glance toward Kuroko.

Kuroko only stared back emotionlessly. "You're being awfully considerate, Kagami-kun."

The ace turned away, a faint blush on his cheeks. "Sh-Shut up! Is it so wrong for me to be worried?"

"Yes. It's weird. Please stop." Ever so blunt, Kuroko paid no heed to Kagami's reaction and walked slowly out the door. "Are you coming, Kagami-kun?"

His eye twitching, the tall ace walked out of the classroom to catch up with his partner. "They're going to ask questions," Kagami informed him.

"I know that. I'm surprised Kagami-kun didn't ask any."

The red-head didn't answer.

* * *

"Kuroko!"

Kuroko's name was yelled by many voices. All at once, tall basketball players rushed toward the poor teen. Hyuuga reached him first, then Teppei, then the rest of the team. Aida came in last, but she stomped through the crowd and marched toward Kuroko. A hand flashed out and grabbed both of his pale cheeks. "You damn brat." Aida twitched her left eye while a forced half smile plastered onto her face. "You freshmen think you can do whatever you want. What makes you think you can suddenly leave without an excuse?"

"Ah . . . I'm sorry," Kuroko managed to croak as his cheeks were pulled back and forth. It didn't hurt his injury on his cheek much, but it was uncomfortable.

Aida, in the mist of her torture, noticed the white patch on his cheek and two purple bruises that were supposed to be cleverly hidden with his hair. She stopped pulling his cheeks and stepped back to analyze him. "You're hurt," she said with wide eyes.

"Yes, that hurt," he rubbed his cheek that wasn't bandaged.

"No, not that. I mean those bruises. And what happened to your cheek?"

Kuroko put a hand over the bruises just above his eyebrow. They were caused from his mother's punch. Since his hair was long enough, he thought he would be able to hide it by completely covering it.

"Yeah, when you came in, I noticed you were limping," Koganei chirped.

"Wait, are those—" Hyuuga stepped up and pulled down Kuroko's loose shirt slightly to expose his shoulder and the bandages that were wrapped around his body. "Bandages? What the hell happened to you, Kuroko?"

_This is bad, _Kagami thought.

Kuroko shook off Hyuuga's hand and pulled up his shirt. "Please do not do stuff like that so abruptly. I was injured from a fight."

_Oi, if you're going to lie, then stick with one lie. You just told me you were in an accident; _Kagami eyed the teal-haired teen weirdly.

"A fight? You actually got into a fight?" The Seirin team couldn't imagine their polite, small Kuroko getting into a fight.

"Two boys were fighting. Since they didn't notice me, and I was in their way, they accidentally hit me as their target."

Everybody sweat-dropped, including Kagami. It was actually a very realistic event that could happen to the teal-haired teen. Even Kagami would believe it, if it weren't for the fact that he already knew the truth. Kuroko ignored their reactions and bowed. "I am sorry for my previous absences, but I cannot practice today. I will stay and watch."

"Well, yeah, that's fine but," Aida bit her lip and scanned Kuroko again. Those injuries looked really serious.

"Stop questioning and ogling him, guys!" Kagami finally intervened. "Don't we have practice? Are we going to play or what? We have another practice match this weekend, right?"

"I thought you would be the one who would ask most of the questions, Kagami," Hyuuga retorted. "We were all anxious to see what happened to Kuroko."

The ace scratched his head. "And he's back. Yeah, I guess I'm curious, but I'm not going to hunt him down or anything," he grumbled.

"Kuroko." Teppei's quiet yet strong voice had everyone's murmuring stop. Kuroko turned his head toward his senpai. "Are you being abused?"

Everybody's breathing stopped. Kagami froze. Kuroko only stared. The question was now exposed; the question that had been on everyone's minds (Well, the question that was answered a couple of days ago for Kagami) since Kuroko showed up with his mother. Now they feared the answer. They wished Teppei hadn't asked the question so bluntly.

They waited for the destined answer, but none came. Kuroko stayed quiet, staring blankly into Teppei's eyes. No trace of emotion could be found on his face. Kagami took that chance to step in front of Kuroko. "What kind of question is that?" Kagami demanded. "It's none of your business."

Teppei frowned for a few seconds before shrugging and giving an apologetic smile from behind Kagami's shoulder. "Sorry 'bout that, Kuroko. Forget about it."

"It's fine," came the monotone voice.

"Y-yosh!" Hyuuga shouted. "Everybody get moving! Especially you freshmen; we're having a practice match this weekend, and we're not going to lose like last time!"

Everybody shouted to agree. Just like that, the tension was broken, and Kuroko was brought to the benches to watch. While the teen didn't show it, watching Kagami and the others play basketball, Kuroko had an urgent feeling of joining. He hadn't played basketball for days, maybe a week, and the feeling of the ball being in his hands for just a few seconds was missed. Kuroko began to fidget ever so slightly.

His phone's vibrating went off, effectively stopping his fidgeting. Kuroko furrowed his eyebrows and grabbed out his cell phone. The only ones who usually ever texted him were Kagami and Akashi. Kagami was right here, and Akashi should still be in school right now. He opened his phone and checked the ID:

_Otou-san_

Kuroko's breath hitched at his father's caller ID. Why was he texting him? Should he even read the message?

The teal-haired boy knew it was rude to ignore a message from his father, though, and opened up the text. He read the characters slowly:

_Tetsuya, I understand you are unwilling to see me or talk to me. No matter how much I apologize, my actions will probably always be on your mind. Please allow me to explain this evening. I only ask of this, Tetsuya. Your mother will not be home, and I will come home early from work. _

There was an automatic signature of 'Kuroko Haru' at the bottom.

Kuroko read the message once more, this time even slower. The words wouldn't change. His blue eyes saddened at the mention of his father. He leaned forward, his hair covering his face, and closed the phone. He tossed it aside in his bag. _"_Otou-san . . . ."

**~Setting Skip~**

"Kuroko-san!" Three men waved at Kuroko Haru as they jogged toward the front of the restaurant. Kuroko's father stood there tiredly, waiting for them.

"It's been awhile," the one who reached him first said. "I'm glad you called us here."

"Yes," Haru nodded with a small smile. "But in reality, it has only been a month. It's still nice to see you, Jun-kun, Hiroshi-kun, Catherine-san."

"A month is still a long time, Kuroko-san," the blonde foreign woman that went by Catherine smiled at Haru. She had a soft, oval face with chin-length light hair. She was younger than Kuroko's father, and was extremely pretty.

Haru opened the restaurant door and gestured for them to enter. "Please just call me by my first name."

"Eh? Then you drop those honorifics, Kuroko_-san_," Hiroshi, an owner of a small business, smirked and raised an eyebrow at Haru.

The teal-haired man found it uncomfortable to call someone by their first name alone [that, of course, excluded Ibuki]. It was his second nature to address everybody politely. He hadn't meant to rub his _overly_-polite personality to Kuroko, but the teal-haired teen had picked it up since he was a child. Haru swallowed at the thought of his son.

"Leave him alone, Hiroshi," Jun, the oldest out of the three, held the door so that Haru could step inside. "We all know it's impossible for Kuroko-san to call us without honorifics."

"Table for four?" A waitress greeted them.

Haru nodded. "Please."

She bowed and gestured them with her hands. "Right this way, please."

Soon, they were all seated. Hiroshi and Jun on one side of the booth, and Catherine and Haru on the other side. They drank their tea quietly, picking out their late afternoon lunch from the menu. Haru didn't feel like eating, so he had denied a menu. What he was going to do in a few minutes ruined his appetite completely.

"So, Kuroko-san." Jun handed the menu to the waitress after ordering and flicked a glance toward the tired teal-head. "Why did you suddenly call us here?"

"Yes, it's definitely a surprise," Catherine said and drank her tea. "How is your son, by the way? I haven't seen him in so long!" Jun and Hiroshi agreed. To them, Kuroko Tetsuya was an innocent, adorable teen.

_I can trust them, right? _Haru thought warily. _Hiroshi-kun is a small business owner, Catherine-san is a model, and Jun-kun is a newspaper reporter. They should not be influenced by Ibuki. _Still, the man was still cautious of his long-time colleagues. He had to trust someone, though, and these people were the closest ones he knew. "Ah, that's actually why I called you here."

"Why you called us here?" Hiroshi leaned forward and rested his chin on his palm. "You called us over because of your son?"

Haru pressed his lips together tightly, finding this harder than he imagined. He looked down at the table and clenched his hands in his lap. "You know of my wife, yes?" he whispered.

Miraculously, everybody could hear his soft voice. "Ibuki? Yeah, we've her once," Hiroshi snarled. "Ugly woman. I don't know why you married her."

_I wonder that myself, _Haru thought. _The times before Tetsuya was born . . . were they truly happy times? _"And it is strange you have not seen my son for years, is it not?" Haru went on with his soft voice.

Jun made one eye bigger than the other. "Yeah, we've found it strange, but it's not something that was really questioned."

"That's because . . . Tetsuya is—abused," Haru choked out. The words left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Catherine stopped drinking her tea. Hiroshi snapped his face up to Haru. Jun froze. "What—what did you just say, Kuroko-san?" Catherine managed to ask. "That's a bad joke."

"No," the teal-haired man softly said. "It is true."

"Hold on." Hiroshi snapped out of his trance. "Are you trying to tell us your son, _Tetsu-kun_, is being abused? By who?"

Haru turned his head to the side. "By Ibuki."

Jun-kun sucked in his breath. The grip on his teacup tightened. "Your wife?"

"Yes . . ."

"H-how long?" Catherine asked.

Haru put a hand over his face. "Since Tetsuya was four."

"Four?" Hiroshi asked quietly. "You mean Tetsu-kun was—no, still is—abused for twelve years? And you're still with that woman?"

"Hai." They could barely hear Haru's answer.

The teal-haired man didn't see it coming, or maybe he did but he wasn't expecting it so suddenly. There was a shout of '_no, Hiroshi!' _ before his shirt was suddenly pulled, forcing Haru to stand from his seat. _"You son of—" _A strong punch connected to his cheek. Immediate pain bloomed on Haru's face as he was sent to the floor. He became a sprawling heap on the cold, tiled floor with a swollen inflicted cheek. Haru's hands came up to the hurt area. _Yes, please, _he pleaded in his mind, _Hurt me. I deserve it. _

"How dare you?" Hiroshi snarled. He was standing in front of Haru, his knuckles on his right hand red. "You let that _ugly bitch _abuse Tetsu-kun for so long? _And you're still married to her? _What the hell are you thinking? Divorce that whore and take Tetsu-kun away!"

Haru didn't answer. He only struggled to get up, one hand on his cheek, the other on the floor. The man managed to sit up on his knees, but he made no move to get up fully. After all, if Hiroshi was going to hit him again, he might as well stay on the floor and take it. His son took it almost every day.

"A-ano, p-please refrain from using such language and violence i-inside the building. Any more disturbances, we'll have to ask you to l-leave the building." The waitress' stuttering and nervous voice appeared above him. Haru, ashamed, did not look up.

"We are extremely sorry." Jun scrambled out of the booth to bow. "There will be no more disturbances."

"Kuroko-san." Catherine's soothing voice echoed next to his ear. "Stand up. Hiroshi was just acting stupid. Right, Hiroshi?" There was an edge of warning to the question.

Hiroshi rubbed the back of his neck, frustrated. "Yeah . . . Sorry, Kuroko-san. My body moved before I was thinking." He held out a hand for the teal-head, to which Haru took gratefully and pulled himself up. "I'm sure you have your reasons."

"Yes," Catherine nodded. "You're not the type to keep Tetsu-kun in such a home without good reason."

Jun, Hiroshi, and Catherine were seated in their original spots, again, with Haru sitting on the edge, icing his cheek with a cold water bottle Catherine had brought. The food came, the waitress setting it down quickly before scurrying off. Hiroshi grinned sheepishly at the glares Catherine and Jun were giving him.

Jun was the first to speak after taking a bite of his lunch. "So, Kuroko-san." The adult Kuroko looked up to his colleague. "Why are you not divorcing Ibuki or reporting this to the police? You do have evidence, right?"

"Having a picture or two and showing it directly to the police wouldn't help," Haru informed them. "You do know Ibuki is extremely powerful."

"Yeah, but breaking the laws should be held accountable to her," Hiroshi countered.

He shook his head. "Ibuki is the most influential person in Japan. Attacking her from the outside is useless." Haru put his head in his hands. "If I were to divorce her, she would only get custody of Tetsuya, and that would make things worse. And if she were charged for abuse, she would only be bailed out. Her connections run deeper than the government."

"But, you can't just leave Tetsu-kun like that," Catherine said. The three thought of the small boy they had seen four years ago: polite, sweet, and respectful. They had been invited to Kuroko's basketball game in Teiko, around the time he got accepted into the first string. Everyone had been awed at how different he looked while playing basketball than outside the court.

"I know," Haru said, "which is why I'm planning to attack from the inside."

"The inside . . .?" Jun raised an eyebrow.

"Hai. Ibuki holds many secrets the government does not know or keeps. A friend of Tetsuya's, Akashi Seijuro, is currently helping me."

Hiroshi whistled. "Akashi, eh? You actually got the Akashi family on your side? Well, shit, you actually have a chance."

"Mind your language." Jun flicked his head.

"The reason why I called you all here . . . was this." Haru pulled something out of his small bag and placed it on the table. There were nine photographs, three for each. Catherine leaned forward first and examined the pictures.

A horrified gasp came from her. "These are-!"

"Photographs of the abuse," Jun finished grimly.

The pictures were simply indescribable. They were horrific, clear pictures of Ibuki and Kuroko, the latter on the floor protecting himself with his arms. Haru had been standing at an angle where he caught both Ibuki's and Kuroko's face. Two of the three pictures were of Ibuki using her feet. The last one was a direct shot with her fist to Kuroko's eye. Each one was hard to look at, and Catherine had tears in her eyes from the pain she could see in Kuroko's face. The expression Kuroko had in the third picture however, had all of them set the photo down and look anywhere but the picture. Unlike the first two pictures, Kuroko had no expression in the last. It was blank; emotionless; nothing could be seen from his face. The punch to his eye caused no expression on his face. It was nothing.

"I need you to tell about Kuroko Ibuki with these pictures to anyone you trust," Haru said faintly. "To the people who are not influenced by Ibuki. We need as much people on our side. Please," he looked down in his lap. "This is the last time I ask of you for something."

"These pictures, Kuroko-san," Hiroshi breathed. "They were taken during the abuse. Does that mean . . .?"

Haru swallowed and didn't answer. Jun sucked in his breath. "You took these pictures. During all this, you watched and took pictures."

He still didn't answer. "W-what of Tetsu-kun?" Catherine was afraid to ask, but she needed to know.

Again, Haru didn't answer. The blonde woman gasped. "Don't—don't tell me Tetsu-kun blames you?"

"I had to," Haru finally choked. "I had to . . . I didn't have a choice, I had to." He looked at the table now, dazed and shaken. "I-had to. You understand, right? I had to." The flashbacks of watching his own son being beaten while he stood a few feet away, doing nothing, haunted his mind. His son's blank face as he told him to not to touch had made Haru break down that night. It was scarring, something that would never be rid of in his mind, even if his son did forgive him.

Two arms encircled around Haru, and his nose was suddenly pressed against a warm shoulder. Blonde hair swept against his forehead. "That's horrible," Catherine said, aghast. "Watching—your own son be abused, taking pictures to help . . . then to be blamed." Strong, woman-like hands pressed against his back. "I'm so sorry."

Haru shook his head slowly. "I had to." His voice cracked, and small water droplets slid down his pale cheeks. "I had to . . . I had to get her at her worst, so I taunted her—_encouraged_ her. I had to be on her good side. I had to," he cried and gripped Catherine's shirt. "But I understand Tetsuya's hatred; it's no less than what I deserve. But his face that day—his face—" Haru could no longer speak coherently. He cried soft, silent tears, never the loud, snotty sobs.

He could faintly hear Hiroshi call for the bill. The waitress came, trying to pay no mind to Haru, and set down the bill before quickly running back to her post.

"Don't worry, Kuroko-san," Jun soothingly said. "We'll do it. I have many connections as a newspaper reporter. As for your son . . . you should straighten things out right away." He rested his chin on his palm and looked out the window. "I've met Tetsu-kun enough to know he's the most respectful and bright kid I know. He will understand."

_I know,_ Haru thought silently through his tears. _I know._

**~Setting Skip~**

"M-Ma'em!" Two men burst through her door and rushed up to her desk. "An emergency, Abe-san!"

"What is it?" Ibuki asked coldly, irritated by the intrusion.

"Your files has been looked through, ma'em," one of them said quickly. "Your personal files, along with government files. Some of the files had attempts for access, but the files denied it. However, some, such as your criminal and identity files were accessed halfway."

Ibuki narrowed her eyes. "They were accessed? Halfway?" By who? She knew the police wouldn't dare touch her files, and _only _the police could access her files since they knew the code. She was also aware anyone who was against her knew it'd be stupid to blatantly report her to the police.

It had to be someone else, someone who had deep connections, just like her. "Did you manage to track down where it was accessed?"

"No, it was from a private line," he said, but then hesitated. "Actually, we managed to get the letters 'AKH' when we tried to track it. That's all, though."

AKH? Ibuki furrowed her eyebrows and tapped her fingers. A code? No, an initial. AKH . . Aka . . Akashi Hayato. The teal-haired woman widened her eyes and stood from her desk. "That damn brat!" she hissed out loud. Not only had the stupid Akashi kid investigated her, but he had also gotten his family involved too? The kid didn't learn his lesson, even after she destroyed that Kise family! Did she have to attack the Akashi family to get him to understand _no one defied her_?

"Get out of here," she snarled at the two frightened men. "Relock all my files and set different paths of security on them. If anyone else is able to access them after today, you two will lose your jobs."

"Y-yes, ma'em!" the two stuttered and rushed out of the room.

Ibuki sneered, whipped out her cell phone and dialed a number. "Time to pay the government a call."

**~Setting Skip~**

"I'm home," Kuroko called, knowing it was useless. His father's car was not out in the driveway, and from his father's text, his mother shouldn't be home, yet.

He gently set down his bag and limped to the kitchen. _If Otou-san wishes to speak to me in the evening, I should try to cook something. _It was, after all, something he should do, even if his trust in his father was gone. Though Kuroko couldn't really cook anything in his condition, and even if he wasn't injured, he could only cook boiled eggs.

Boiled eggs sounded all right, anyway, so Kuroko carefully pulled out the pot, wincing as his body vibrated in pain. He was filling up the small pot with water when the phone in his bag rang loudly. A little startled, Kuroko set down the pot and walked over to end the ringing. _Akashi _flashed on his phone.

"Akashi-kun," he said, but then stopped when he sounded a little too happy than he should be.

"Tetsuya," Akashi greeted coolly. "Did you go to school today?"

"Hai," Kuroko confirmed while limping over to continue to fill water in the pot.

"I see," Akashi paused for a bit before continuing, "Tetsuya, why did you deny Daiki's offer this morning?"

The teal-haired teen almost dropped an egg at the question. He scrunched his blue eyebrows together. "Ah . . ."

"You should not have refused," his former captain said strictly. "That was reckless of you. Your school is only about 800 meters away from your house, but with your condition, you should not have been walking that far. Daiki was right to offer you a ride. He does have a permit."

Kuroko couldn't argue with Akashi's tone. He only dropped the four eggs in the pot and lowered his head, as if the red-head was right next to him. "I'm sorry, Akashi-kun," Kuroko apologized. "It won't happen again."

"Hm," Akashi replied tersely. "It shouldn't happen again."

_The first talk with Akashi-kun after the . . . kiss, _Kuroko almost blushed, _and I get scolded. _

"Tetsuya?"

"Hai?" Kuroko turned up the temperature of the stove.

"Just wait a little longer, all right?" Akashi suddenly murmured. "I will get you out of that house."

Kuroko's lips twitched into a small smile. "Hai. I will wait, Akashi-kun."

"Very well. Daiki will pick you up tomorrow morning. If he's not there, call Ryouta."

Kuroko knew Akashi was about to hang up, since the red-head was never one to say 'good-bye' before ending the call, so before he did, the teal-head blurted, "Wait, Akashi-kun!"

". . Yes, Tetsuya?"

"Thank you," Kuroko said quietly. "And—I—enjoyed it." What 'it' was didn't need to be defined between the two.

Akashi chuckled. "I know."

* * *

I said I would update faster, right? :) Well, I started writing this chapter RIGHT after I posted chapter 14, so I had some time to edit. Nevertheless, there could be some typo or grammatical issue I couldn't catch, so please tell me so I can fix it ;]

Reviews do really motivate me, so thank you to all my faithful fans. I am so very grateful to you!

Oh! That's right. So, whenever I'm suddenly not updating quickly (which means I haven't posted in a week or so), check my profile and there will most likely be a note under the stories section of my profile. It will explain my absence :)

~Virelei


	16. Chapter 16

**Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form**

**Chapter 16**

Akashi Seijuro, once again in a happy mood, poured out the hot, freshly made tea into two teacups. He was expecting a guest in exactly two minutes, so making tea beforehand was only the right thing to do. _It's tempting to put something in his tea, _Akashi thought for a moment before shaking his head. _That would probably result in his vulgar temper._

Just like he predicted, a knock came two minutes later, right on the dot at 5:52 P.M. He took his time to walk to the front door and swung it open, surprising the persistent knocker. Kagami Taiga appeared at the threshold, one hand on his thigh, another hand about to knock again, his body hunched over as he took deep, heavy breaths. "Damn—you—bas—I mean, shri—Akashi!" Kagami quickly changed his words as he saw the darkened look on the red-head's face. "You Akashi! Stop calling me at weird times and expecting me to come in an insane time limit!"

"Calling me an Akashi is a compliment," Akashi dryly said and left to go to the kitchen. "Come in and close the door. Sit in the living room."

Kagami, although reluctant, obeyed his commands and sat on the all-too familiar couch. He looked at the basketball trophies and scoffed.

"Trophies are simply a waste of plastic and metal. There have no purpose except for proof and bragging. I use these for proof," Akashi said, noticing the look on Kagami's face when he walked into the room with the tray of tea and light snacks.

"You earned them," Kagami grumbled. "You should at least be grateful for the trophies."

"Winning is my only award, and that is already a given."

"Arrogant."

"Excuse me?"

The tall ace coughed. "Nothing."

Akashi gave him an unimpressed glance and took a sip of his tea. "That is what I thought. You understand why I requested you to come here, correct?"

_More like demanded, _Kagami scrutinized and looked suspiciously at his tea. Was it poisoned? "Yeah, to get more information or somethin' like that. I don't have any new information, though. My old man hasn't contacted me."

"Your father?" Akashi questioned. He already had a pen and notepad out, flipping through the pages to go to a fresh one.

The ace nodded. "Apparently, my dad is actually working at the sister branch of Ibuki's corporation in America. He agreed to help me, but he can't get much since all her records are pretty much locked in America." Kagami decided to risk his life and took a hesitant sip of his drink. It was normal. His shoulders sagged with relief.

Akashi watched, amused at the teen's reaction to his tea. "Call your father."

"Hah?" Kagami raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Request information. Put it on speaker. Don't question me." Akashi didn't mind he was ordering a guest around in his house. People who came to his house were expected to listen to his commands. Ah, unless it was his mother.

_Control-freak, _Kagami thought, but took out his phone anyway. He sped-dialed his father, remembering to have the speaker turned on at Akashi's request. "Mm? What, Taiga? Today's my day off," his dad's groggy voice greeted him through the speaker.

"Ah, sorry, Dad." The ace suddenly felt self-conscious at having the speaker out loud for Akashi to hear. "I forgot about the time difference."

His father groaned, and rustling could be heard from the other end. The short red-head started to tap his foot. "Of course you did. What do you want? Damn, I left the T.V. on. Why the hell did I leave it on a news channel?"

"Dad," Kagami said impatiently. "Have you gotten any new information about Ibuki?"

"The woman? No, not really. I've been busy. Hey, check out the news—wait, you don't have American news over there, do you?" Kagami closed his eyes and held in a sigh as he heard his father turn up the volume of the T.V. Since his cell-phone was on speaker, both Akashi and he could hear the news reporter tell her events in English. Kagami, having living in America for years, understood what she was saying, and Akashi, having studied there, understood it fluently.

"_Lately, police officers have been active around the New York City's time square. Over twenty people have been questioned about a missing criminal who has disappeared from America for more than three years . . ."_

"Damn! These officers should be doing something useful, not go out and waste their time on a cold case! Missing criminal for over three years? They could be dead, you know."

_Yeah, yeah, old man. Can you just lie and say you found something? My life is on the line here. _Kagami threw a quick glance at Akashi, but the captain was listening intensely to the news over the phone.

_"The criminal has been charged many federal crimes, of which some will not be named by officers. Traces of her could be found in the Fanta's company building in New York, where a worker claimed someone used their line to call an unknown number. Officers tracked down the receiver and found it as a foreign Japanese number and the ID of . . ."_

Akashi caught the name. His eyebrows shot up a few centimeters, and he grabbed the notepad and pen. _That name, _Akashi ran the English name over and over in his mind. _If I'm correct, it should spell out . . . _He wrote the names 'Ibuki Kuroko', 'Akihiko Suzuki', and 'Miku Abe' in order vertically. He had written it western style, where the first name came before the last. His cool, analyzing eyes stared at the names, calculations going wild in his head as he studied the letters. Akashi's eyebrows were pulled down in concentration.

_If I were to line them up like this . . ._

He wrote them again. Then again. Then again. Then he circled letters.

And then—he smirked.

"Check mate."

**~Setting Skip~**

Kuroko sat at the kitchen table with four boiled eggs in front of him. He had the fifth one in his hands with small nibbles on the soft shell. He had just finished boiling them, and now he was waiting for his father to come home. Unfinished homework lied off to the side of the table. Kuroko lost motivation after getting to the third problem.

The sound of the front door unlocking had his muscles tense, but soon he forced himself to relax. His mother would not be home, and it was only his father, right?

_Only Otou-san, _he reminded himself.

"Tetsuya?" Kuroko's father's soft voice echoed throughout the hallway and drifted into the kitchen. The front door closed with a click, his father's bag dropped to the floor, and then Haru's light footsteps advanced toward the kitchen. Kuroko grabbed his homework to make it look like he was being productive.

Haru stopped at the kitchen doorway and paused to study his son. He looked relieved that Kuroko was there waiting for him. A strained, small smile found its way onto the man's face. "Are you doing your homework?"

"Hai," Kuroko said with his usual, blank face. He made sure not to look at his father and forced his quickened breathing to a normal pace. His hold on his pencil was a little too tight.

_Always a good boy, _Haru thought and walked into the kitchen to stand across the table, in front of Kuroko. "You made boiled eggs? Do you want something else to eat? I'm sure there are—"

"I'm fine, Otou-san," came Kuroko's quiet, emotionless response again.

Haru swallowed and nervously reeled back onto his heels. "I-I see." A long silence filled the room. The tension in the air was so high you could cut the air with a knife. You could hear the light scratches of Kuroko's pencil, but the slight shake of his hand was noticeable. Haru struggled on what to say; anything that would break the ice.

The teal-haired man sighed and dropped into the seat across from his son. Kuroko's body went rigid, but he kept writing useless numbers onto his math papers. Haru pressed his lips together before opening them to choke out the words, but couldn't. It was much harder than what he had imagined. He took in a small breath. "Tetsuya, I know my actions the other day are—unforgiveable." Kuroko went frozen as his father spoke, but other than that, Haru couldn't figure what was going on in his son's mind. He gave a slight, pained smile toward the table.

Kuroko silently set his pencil down and looked up to his father. He knew it was rude to ignore someone who was talking about something important.

"I don't expect you to forgive me," Haru continued and looked desperately into Kuroko's blank eyes. "But I do want you to listen to my reasons. The truth and that is it. I only want you to listen." Leaning forward to put his face in his hands, Haru spoke with his voice muffled. "As a father, I want you to know my actions. How you handle it is up to you."

The teal-haired teen didn't answer.

Haru took a deep, shuddering breath. "It was about a day or two after your mother made you fall from the second floor. Akashi-kun called me to meet up with him at a café."

Kuroko's eyes slightly sparked with interest at the sound of Akashi's name.

"He had a job for me." His father clenched his hands tightly. "A job to ruin your mother and separate you from this house. I was warned it was an emotional job, but—" Haru had to pause to compose himself, "I accepted it for your sake. While it's—hard for you to hate me . . . I'd rather have that for your safety."

The teal-haired boy scrunched his blue eyebrows, but stayed silent. What was so important about this job that his father accepted, even though he fully knew he would lose all of Kuroko's trust?

"My job was to taunt your mother during her—_'attacks'. _It was the only way to capture her at her worst; have her distracted so that she wouldn't notice. However, I had to be trusted by her—only for a little—at the same time. Encouraging her attack seemed to be the best way." Haru gave a pained smile. "I'm sorry . . . You must have been in a lot of pain . . ." his voice faltered, and he shook his head. "I took pictures for proof. Ibuki didn't notice. Then after," he stopped talking to press his lips together, but continued, "I spread the pictures."

Kuroko's breath hitched. His father—his father _exposed_ himself in such a state to people? He was seen abused?

"It was seen by my three most trusted friends. Do you remember Jun-kun, Hiroshi-kun, and Catherine-san?"

The names were familiar to him. He had last met them a few years ago, until they suddenly stopped visiting. To show that he was listening, Kuroko gave a small nod.

"They were told to spread the abuse to the people who were not influenced by your mother. They agreed." His father put an arm over his eyes and breathed through his nose heavily. "I know . . . this violates your rights . . . exposing you like. But please, understand. You can hate me, distrust me, wish me dead, but I want you to understand," he lowered his arm to gaze directly into Kuroko's eyes. "I will do anything—_anything_—to get you away from Ibuki and to have you safe. You will _not_ suffer another year of her. I will go as far as to have you hate me to have you safe."

Haru closed his eyes, not wanting to look into his son's blank eyes any longer. "That is the truth of it all. We will be attacking Ibuki from the inside. Akashi-kun was the one who planned everything and told me not to say a word to you until after. It was my decision to accept it." He folded his hands together onto the table and opened his eyes. "You now know everything of my actions, Tetsuya. What will you do now?"

Akashi . . . knew. Kuroko couldn't wrap it around his head. Akashi knew what had happened the day Kuroko told him his father was a lie. He knew, and yet—

_Tell me; am I a lie?_

_Of course not, Akashi-kun._

Was Akashi a lie? Had he been lying the whole time?

_Tetsuya, may I try something?_

_Yes._

_Akashi will never be a lie. _Kuroko shook his head over and over and gazed at his trembling hands. Very slowly, he lowered his head, his hair falling over his face and eyes. His father couldn't see his face, and so Kuroko took that opportunity to let loose of one or two tears. "I want to trust you, Otou-san," Kuroko softly said, his voice cracking. "I want to . . . I want to . . . I refuse to hate you." He pressed his face into his hands. "But, I—"

"I think," Haru interrupted gently, "I will go to my room for the night. I will leave you alone. Ibuki will not be here until one in the morning, so please remember to lock yourself up before then." The man stood up and walked around the table to stand next to Kuroko. He reached out a hand to touch his son, but then stopped halfway and pulled it back, shaking his head. "I love you, Tetsuya. Please know that."

And Haru walked out of the kitchen, forlorn and tired, leaving a struggling Kuroko behind.

_Tell me; am I lie?_

_ I will go as far as to have you hate me to have you safe._

_I don't expect you to forgive me._

_You can hate me, distrust me, wish me dead, but I want you to understand . . ._

Kuroko looked up from his hands, his tears gone. His eyes were set with determination, and his decision . . . his decision was simple enough.

* * *

Haru flipped the pancake again and watched it sizzle and cook onto the pan. Hot bacon were stacked onto a plate, crispy and cooked. An orange juice jug was set onto the table. For some reason, the teal-haired Japanese man wanted to have an American breakfast. He nervously shifted his weight as he waited for his son to come down. How Kuroko would act toward Haru this morning would be his answer.

Kuroko's mother left early at five in the morning, hissing at Haru that she would be out for the whole day. She seemed extremely upset, so the man didn't question her. The more she was out of the house, the better.

Soon, Kuroko limped down from the stairs, this time his injuries more discreet than before. The teal-haired teen walked cautiously into the kitchen, the smell of bacon and pancakes hitting his nose before he even saw them. Haru turned his head at the sound of Kuroko's light footsteps.

"Tetsuya," Haru greeted hesitantly. Kuroko stopped walking and stared at his father. The said man swallowed. "Have you—made your decision?"

Kuroko blinked. "What decision, Otou-san?"

Haru frowned. "Did you forget? I talked—"

"I don't know about anything I had to decide on, Otou-san," Kuroko said again and walked over to look at the pancakes his father was cooking. "Was there something I needed to think about?"

It took Kuroko's father awhile to figure what his son was doing. Once Haru did though, tears built up in his eyes. His hands clenched by his sides. "Tetsuya," Haru whispered. "Thank you." He grabbed Kuroko by the shoulder and pulled him into a strong embrace. He held onto his son tightly, as if Kuroko would disappear any minute.

Tears matted onto Kuroko's hair. Murmurs of 'thank you' were muffled near the teal-haired boy's ear. Haru tightened his hold, if possible, but was careful of his injuries. Kuroko gently wrapped his arms around his father's tall figure as well. He clutched the back of Haru's dress shirt.

"Having you hurt because of me," Kuroko said quietly, "is not what I want. I trust you, Otou-san."

Haru let go of Kuroko, but kept his hands on his son's shoulders. He looked down into Kuroko's eyes. "I am very lucky," Haru breathed, "to have you as a son." He pressed a kiss onto his pale forehead.

After having a silent, but comfortable breakfast, Haru asked if he needed a ride. "No, thank you," Kuroko declined. "Aomine-kun is picking me up."

"Aomine-kun? Your friend from middle school?"

"Hai." Kuroko picked up his school bag and swung it over his shoulder. "He should be out there right now. I will be going."

His father nodded. "Have a good day. And Tetsuya?"

Kuroko turned, his hand on the knob. "Hai?"

"Thank you."

The teal-head turned, a small smile on his face. "There is nothing to thank for, Otou-san.

* * *

"What took you so long?" Aomine demanded as Kuroko climbed into the old car.

"I apologize. I was eating," Kuroko said blandly. "I'm also sorry for the inconvenience."

Aomine scoffed. "Don't be sorry for that. Be sorry that you made Akashi yell at me for not giving you a ride. It was your fault to begin with."

Kuroko looked out the window and watched as the houses passed by quickly. "I doubt Akashi-kun would yell. I am sorry, though."

". . . You don't mean that, do you?"

". . ."

The tanned teenager grunted. "That's what I thought. Seriously, I get no appreciation these days. Kise is crying all over me every day, Akashi is ordering me around, and Midorima is telling me lies that it's bad luck to drive, so _I_ have to drive you to school. The only one who's innocent is Murasakibara, and I doubt that guy is really innocent."

"Why is Kise-kun crying?"

Aomine tightened his hold on the steering wheel. He had said too much. Akashi had specifically told him to not tell any damage caused by Ibuki to Kuroko. "Just some modeling job that's giving him stress. He's overreacting about it," Aomine lied easily. "Nothing to worry about."

Kuroko eyed him suspiciously, but let it go. "Don't you have school, Aomine-kun?"

"Nah," he replied. "I'm not going to school, today."

**~Setting Skip~**

"So everybody but Akashicchi and Kurokocchi got the message?" Kise asked. He was addressing a tall shooter, a giant eating snacks, and the approaching tanned teenager.

"I'm sure that even if Akashi didn't receive the message, he knows about it," Midorima said and pushed up his glasses. In his hands, he held a small, goldfish net. "I'm not sure of the number, but it said to meet here at the park."

Murasakibara flashed his phone to everyone. "S'me 'ing," he mumbled with a cracker stick in his mouth. [Same thing]

"Yeah, I got it this morning. But what the hell? Is it even okay to listen to the message? It could be some scam," Aomine sighed, annoyed, and put an arm on Kise's head as an arm rest. The blonde protested, to no avail.

"It's too much of a coincidence that four of the Generation of Miracles were called to the park," Midorima said. "It must be important, and an even likelier chance that this is Akashi's doing."

"You are exactly right." A deep voice had all but Midorima jump in surprise. They turned their heads toward the culprit and found a tall woman and man. Having fiery red hair and strange-colored eyes, they sparked familiarity to the four. The two had formal suits on, suits that you would usually see worn on lawyers. The woman had her arms crossed across her chest with a sour, skeptic look , while the man had his hands at his side, his face blank except for the small furrow between his red eyebrows.

Kise blinked again and again. "Hey, don't they look like . . ."

"Ah, Hayato-san, Rin-san," Midorima's surprised voice interrupted Kise's observation.

"You know them, Mido-chin?" Murasakibara munched on another cracker stick. "They look familiar."

"The man is Akashi Hayato. The woman is Akashi Rin. To put it simply, they're Akashi's parents."

It took awhile for Aomine and Kise to process this information. Murasakibara didn't look too surprised. He simply kept up his sleepy look and now snacked on a chocolate bar. "E-eehh?" Kise cried. "Akashicchi's parents? They look exactly like him!"

Midorima scoffed at the blonde's stupidity. "That's why they're his parents, idiot."

Rin cleared her throat. The Generation of Miracles quieted down to give her the attention. "Is everyone here?" she demanded. "I made sure to receive all of your phone numbers to message you. Where is Seijuro?"

Hayato put a hand on her shoulder and stepped up. "Seijuro said he had other business to take care of. Besides him, everybody is here."

The red-headed woman twitched her eye. "Trying to avoid me, hm? That boy, I swear, once I get my hands on him," she left the threat hanging and wrung her hands. Hayato smirked at the obvious fear the Generation of Miracles were emitting. Sometimes, he was proud of his wife for being the demonic woman she was.

"Everybody," Hayato said. "Shintarou-kun has met us once, but I believe the rest of you have not met us. Don't misunderstand that, though, we know everything about you." The way he said that made Kise and Aomine shiver. Even Murasakibara stopped snacking and put the rest of his junk in his pockets. "I am Seijuro's father, Akashi Hayato. This is Seijuro's mother, Akashi Rin. We have called you for the case of Ibuki, your friend's abuser."

All of them tensed at the sound of Kuroko's mother's name. They weren't aware Akashi's parents knew of Ibuki, but Akashi must have thought Ibuki was an extremely complicated person to have brought his parents into this. "H-hello, H-Hayato-san, R-Rin-san," Kise stuttered and gave a short, but deep bow. "I am—"

"Kise Ryouta, correct?" Rin asked coldly.

"H-Hai!" the blonde yelped and jumped back into Aomine's arm. The aura the woman gave off was almost exactly like Akashi when he was annoyed—not angry; _annoyed_.

Rin paid no mind to Kise's reaction. "And you are Aomine Daiki and Murasakibara Atsushi." She paused to dig into her purse and pulled out a bag of chips that read: _LIMITED TIME FLAVOR! ONLY IN THE KYOTO PREFACTURE! _"Would you like this, Atsushi?"

Murasakibara's eyes lit up. He had been looking for those kinds of chips for days. Like a little kid, he grabbed it eagerly. "Thank you," he muttered before opening up the bag of chips and popping one in his mouth.

_He's exactly as Seijuro described him, _Rin observed. She turned her attention to Midorima. "Shintarou. Are you well these days?"

"Rin-san. I am well. Although your son has been driving me to do ridiculous jobs," the green-head said formally. He bowed slightly to her.

"Seijuro? He's always so selfish like that," the woman sighed dramatically.

"N-neh," Kise whispered to Aomine. "Doesn't it seem like she only hates us?"

Rin threw them a sharp glare. "Did you say something, Ryouta?"

"N-no!" he cried.

Hayato sighed deeply at his wife's antics, but said nothing about it. "All right, everyone," he finally said. "We called you here because we want you to be witnesses as well as the initiators. Kuroko Ibuki should be here any minute. Your job is to simply watch or add comments. Rin and I will use our power and information to corner her until she finally breaks down. I," he held up a tape recorder. "will record everything that is said. Is that understood?"

"Woah, hold on," Aomine interrupted. "Ibuki is coming? Here?"

"That's what he just said, Daiki," Rin snapped.

Kise's muscles tightened, but Aomine rubbed soothing circles on his back. "Act normal," Aomine said in his ear. "We can't mess up. This is for Kuroko. Plus," he placed a chaste kiss on Kise's cheek. "I'll reward you later."

The blonde's face flushed, and he hit the tanned teenager in the chest. "Ahominecchi!"

"Is everybody clear with their jobs?" Hayato asked again.

This time, everybody confirmed it.

"Here she comes," Rin muttered.

Everybody looked toward the direction Rin was staring. Sure enough, a slim woman was striding toward their way. Her teal hair swung back and forth with each long step she took. She had an even sourer look on her face than Rin, and her nose and eyebrows are scrunched into an ugly glare. In her left hand was a cell phone.

Kise clutched tightly onto Aomine's jacket. Murasakibara looked lazily at Ibuki, while Midorima only pushed up his glasses. Rin and Hayato stood composed, staring at the teal-haired woman.

"Akashi Hayato," Ibuki hissed when she was in hearing range. She stomped over to stand in front of them all. "How did you get my number? Why have you called me here?" The hated woman looked behind the two Akashi's and sneered. "You brought those brats, too?"

"Speak civilly, you ugly woman," Rin snarled. Hayato put a restraining hand on her shoulder. _I should have warned her of her temper, _the Akashi man thought miserably.

Ibuki's nose flared. "Excuse me?" she shrieked. Murasakibara put a hand over his ear at the annoying sound.

"We only called you here for simple answers, Kuroko Ibuki," Hayato cut in, "It's your choice whether you want to answer or not. We will not force you. Also, it was also your choice whether to come and meet us or ignore our call. Since you decided to meet us, you have no right to say we interrupted your schedule."

Kuroko's mother narrowed her eyes and darted her looks to the Generation of Miracles. "Where's your son of a brat?"

"I raised him; he's not a brat," Rin retorted.

Ibuki ignored her, focusing her gaze to a hiding Kise. She smirked viciously. "Kise-kun," she purred. "How is your family doing these days?"

That was all it took for Kise to snap. It didn't matter if the blonde himself was insulted or hurt, but his _family_ was a different matter. His family should not be involved with this woman. "You monster!" Kise yelled. Aomine wrapped his arms around the copier's waist to restrain him from charging at Ibuki. The blonde clawed at Aomine's arms. "How dare you hurt my family! You're nothing but a demon to everyone! I-I hope you die for Kurokocchi's sake! You're evil. Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot!" Kise's small vocabulary range didn't do much to the teal-haired woman. Tears pricked in Kise's eyes, and he was enveloped in Aomine's body.

"Calm down," the tanned teenager murmured. "Your reaction is only satisfying her."

"Idiot . . . idiot," Kise's voice was muffled into Aomine's jacket.

Hayato spared a quick glance to Teiko's former copier before turning his attention back to Ibuki. "I'd like for you to not taunt them," he said in a low tone.

Ibuki glared at him. "What do you want, _Akashi-san_? Why did you call me here?"

"Like I said; answers."

"Answers to what?"

"To your son," Rin was the one who replied this time. "Kuroko Tetsuya, was it?"

Ibuki visibly stiffened at the name. "What about him? He's not worth my time at the moment."

"I'll be blunt about this and won't beat around the bush, Ibuki," Rin said coldly. "Are you abusing Kuroko Tetsuya as of the present and/or past time."

The teal-haired woman looked straight into Rin's strangely-colored eyes. "No. I punish him fairly as I see fit."

Midorima stepped up, his face composed and cool. He pushed up his glasses with the hand that held the fish net. Ibuki stared, bored. "What is your definition of punishment? What actions do you deem as punishment?"

_Good questions, _Hayato praised in his mind, _He would also make a good lawyer._

"I refuse to answer that question."

"Why do your hurt your son?" Hayato asked without missing a beat. "What is your objective? Your motivation? In what cases do you deem necessary to punish Kuroko Tetsuya?"

"I refuse to answer that question," Ibuki repeated.

"Are you scared?" Rin countered. "Afraid of the outcomes? If you did nothing wrong, you would answer these questions easily. Have you done something wrong? What is holding you back?"

Ibuki, obviously cornered, tightened the corners of her lips and clenched her hands. It was silent just for a few seconds, only the cold, howling wind filled the tense air. When the teal-head finally spoke though, Hayato got his answer. "You want to know why I hurt him?" Ibuki chuckled darkly. Hayato pressed the start of his tape recorder discreetly. "I don't _hurt_ him. I _train_ him."

"What do you mean by that?" Rin said, wanting more information to be recorded. "Train him? He is not a dog."

"I wanted a successor," she said, crazed. "I wanted one. I've built my whole life from the bottom, and here I am, the most untouchable woman in Japan with three of the biggest corporations. I'm rich, I'm powerful, and I'm feared! It's more than what I could want, some would think. But, I want more." she gave a frosty, half-smile. "I want my name to be carried on. Everyone must know of my name—no, not my name. My _existence_. The only way for that is to have a successor. It's the only reason why I married to Haru! To get a child; to get a child that would listen to me."

Her face suddenly turned into a sneer. "It backfired though. That kid I gave birth to turned out to be just like his father. He's _soft_, he has disgusting morals, he disobeys me. And just like I've said to them," she gave a glare to the Generation of Miracles, "he _mocks_ me. The way he looks at me with those blank eyes tells me he doesn't take me seriously. I can't get anything from him. So the only way for him to listen; to obey; to fear me, is to break him."

"Break . . .him?" Aomine was at a loss.

"A person who is broken will only listen to the person that succeeded in breaking him," Ibuki laughed. It was a pitiful, horrendous laugh. "Day by day, I see him break a bit more. He's been fearing me, lying to everyone but me. Oh, it's been wonderful; truly wonderful. But you—you messed up everything." She pointed a crooked finger to the colorful-haired teens. "Healing and healing him; it's useless! The more you do, the more I will try harder in breaking him. He is mine, and he will be my successor. He _will _be nothing more than my creation, and _you can't stop me_!" The last part was shrieked so loud, Hayato was glad he had picked an abandoned park to meet her.

Ibuki took small pants from her long confession. Hayato stopped the recorder, finding out all he wanted to hear. "But what about Kuro-chin—"

"I'm done talking," she said and looked at Hayato and Rin. "You've listened to my answers, but know this: It doesn't matter if you know my plans. It doesn't matter if you have all the proof in the world that I 'abuse' my son. Remember who I am; _nobody_ can beat me in this world."

"I'm tired of your threats," Rin said, quiet, which was always a bad sign. "It's our turn. My son is the smartest in this game, and you have the two best attorneys against you. Don't think you're the only one who has connections, Kuroko Ibuki."

They didn't say anything else as the teal-haired woman refused to answer and dramatically turned around and swished out of the park.

"Is she gone?" Kise asked quietly.

"She is," Rin confirmed but then glared at the blonde. "What was that little fit you threw awhile ago? Didn't you realize she could have had something against us if you were to attack her?"

"I-I'm sorry—"

"I understand your parents' predicament," Hayato reassured the teen. "Once we destroy Ibuki, I will use my power to restore your parents' status. However, Ibuki's specialty is attacking the mind. You can't let her get to you."

Kise looked down. "Sorry."

Aomine looked at the two Akashi's with one eye bigger than the other. _Damn, these two bring out the same reaction out of everyone. They're just like Akashi . . . or is Akashi just like them? What the hell; three Akashi's?_

"We'll be going now. Keep what you heard to yourselves, except for my son," Rin ordered.

Murasakibara nodded. "Thanks for the chips," he said again.

Rin nodded. "Oh, and if any of you happen to contact Seijuro soon, tell him his mother is waiting for him. I have some . . . issues to straighten out with that boy." She flexed her fingers. "That'll be all. Let's go, Hayato."

The Generation of Miracles, this time including Midorima, shivered at the threat.

* * *

"Do you think I scared them too much?" Rin wondered. They were walking down the busy streets of Tokyo, trying to get to the train station.

"You always scare them too much. We're only lucky Seijuro came out fine," Hayato retorted. Their definition of 'fine' was different from everybody else's. "But we're lucky. We got exactly what we wanted from Ibuki." He wrapped an arm around Rin's body.

Rin slapped his arm away. "Don't touch me. People can see."

Hayato sulked all the way to the train station.

* * *

Please correct me if you see a missing word or typo! Anyway, as promised, a chapter on Saturday. My fingers ached :) I had to add the last bit; I swear I love the relationship between Hayato and Rin xD Anyway, please review, even if you didn't like it (Tell me why you didn't like it :)) It really motivates me to write faster!

~Virelei


	17. Chapter 17

**Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form**

**Chapter 17**

"Going to the computer room, again, Akashi-san?" a first-year asked. Many students were packing up for their short break. Most students hung in the classrooms. Akashi had different plans.

"Yes. I would appreciate it if you kept it to yourself," Akashi ordered indirectly and left the classroom before getting an answer. He only had ten minutes, but ten minutes would be enough if he didn't waste time. In his backpack, he had picked his notes, just in case he forgot the name (impossible, though, since his memory was exquisite).

Akashi reached the large computer room his school owned. All of the computers were full, but a poor first-year quickly abandoned his computer when the red-head stared at him. Satisfied, Akashi took a seat and opened up a browser. He quickly typed in the first name, but paused at the last name. After all, he didn't know the last name yet. His notes had the names of the celebrities that he had researched, and he picked the last name that had the most suspicious background.

His guess was right.

Many articles popped up, most from foreign websites. Akashi picked on the first one, and found the article in English:

_She is a wanted murderer and abuser, missing for more than three years. Police officers believe she has taken flight to another country, but the case was filed as cold. Her victim was Harold Smith, found in his own home, deceased in his bed. The crime scene has detected fingerprints, but the owner was missing._

_The perpetrator, from more research, is the daughter of Julie Sevaine and Liam Sevaine . . . _

Akashi clicked on another article. This one was also in English:

_Branded a murderer, a killer, a criminal. She has been missing for years, but traces of the hitman could still be detected in many open spots of the government. Police officers have rested it as a cold case, but are still secretly investigating it until now, where they have made their continued investigation public._

_Julie Sevaine was the mother of the hitman, a popular singer known throughout the nation. She has moved to Japan for unknown reasons and stopped her career in the country. Police officers cannot contact the mother and have no connections between the murder and her sudden stop in career._

_The father was named as Liam Sevaine, another popular entertainor as an actor. Similar to his wife, he stopped his career and moved to Japan. Officers believe the hitman has also moved to Japan with the help of her parents._

**_Later, it was found the parents died in Japan just a few years after._**

Akashi noted the estimated date of the parents' death, and then looked at the date where the three corporations in Japan started growing. _What a coincidence the businesses started to grow in popularity right after her parents died, _Akashi mused and wrote the note down.

He glanced at the picture that was attached to the article and sent it through email to Kise Ryouta. The bell rang once more just as he pushed 'send'.

They were now passed the complicated. Unravelling Ibuki's secrets now would simply be untying a shoe knot.

**~Setting Skip~**

A small vibration from his phone brought Kuroko out of his daydreaming. Knowing that he was invisible in class, Kuroko secretly took out his phone and checked his text message. Nobody usually texted him during class, so he figured it was important. The teal-head blinked, though, once he saw Akashi's name:

_Get out of school and meet me in the Tokyo Park. You have five minutes._

It was a typical text message from Akashi; demanding and timely. Kuroko sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to disobey Akashi. He raised his hand and made sure he was noticed by the teacher.

"Yes, Kuroko-kun?" the teacher asked, a bit startled he was in this class.

Kuroko stood up. "I don't feel too well, Sensei. May I go to the nurse?"

His teacher nodded. "Very well. Kagami-kun, can you—"

"Ah, it is fine, Sensei," Kuroko said quickly. "I can get there myself."

He looked suspicious, and he was contemplating whether to send Kagami anyway or let the invisible kid go alone. Finally, seeing it as too much trouble, the teacher nodded and gave Kuroko a note. Kuroko thanked him and quietly left class with his belongings.

It wasn't hard to leave school. After all, none of the teachers that wandered in the halls noticed him, and he was especially trying hard to hide his presence. He limped out of school easily and started toward the direction of the Tokyo Park. Akashi had chosen wisely, since the park was extremely close to his school, and Kuroko didn't have to strain his body into walking so far.

The teal-haired teen arrived at the park in three minutes. Kuroko immediately spotted the red-head among the small, running children. He stood near a bench with his arms folded in his school uniform. Rakuzan's school bag hung loosely on his shoulder. Many mothers stole quick glances at the dangerous-looking, yet handsome teen. Akashi paid them no mind, though, and only focused his attention on Kuroko.

"Akashi-kun," Kuroko greeted and limped over to stand in front of the red-head.

Akashi inspected him swiftly before greeting him back, "Tetsuya." He stepped forward to close the distance between the two and lifted up Kuroko's chin with two fingers. "Your injuries seem to be healing well. Are you still hurting?"

Kuroko leaned his body against Akashi's before his brain could process what he was doing. Akashi, although a bit startled, easily captured the light teen and wrapped one arm around Kuroko's back. The teal-head grasped Akashi's clothes, embarrassed he did such a thing, but refused to show it on his face. Akashi only smirked, tighening his hold on the smaller teen.

"Hai, it is healing well," Kuroko answered quietly. "I am not hurting."

Akashi raised one eyebrow by only a few centimeters, realizing Kuroko was not only talking about physically, but emotionally as well.

"Hm." The red-head stepped back, but stil had an arm wrapped around Kuroko's waist. He didn't pay attention to the stares many people were giving them. "We will go to Kyoto."

"Kyoto?" Kuroko repeated. "To Akashi-kun's house? It's bad to completely skip school, Akashi-kun."

"Once in awhile, it is fine," Akashi waved off. "I have a ride waiting, so we do not have to walk."

Reluctantly-Akashi would have forced him, anyway-Kuroko followed Akashi to the car.

The train ride to Kyoto was long but comfortable. Somewhere along the way, Akashi had put a hand on Kuroko's hand and it stayed there for the rest of the ride. Kuroko didn't mind. He pretended it wasn't there while he stared outside the opposite window from him. The train was almost completely empty, so there were no stares directed toward them.

They also didn't have to walk the long way to Akashi's house. Akashi called a taxi, and they appeared in front of his large complex a few minutes later. Kuroko, never have been to Akashi's house except for the one in Tokyo, was amazed at how big a complex could be.

"Come inside and sit on the couch. I will make tea," the red-head ordered as he opened the door.

Kuroko obeyed, but stopped at the sound of tea. "Actually, Akashi-kun," he said hesitantly. "May I have a vanilla shake?"

"No, you may not," Akashi tersely answered, taking off his shoes. "It is unhealthy, and drinking a vanilla shake will not help you become stronger. Sit."

The teal-head sulked—internally—to the couch and sat. Akashi almost rolled his eyes at Kuroko's reaction and entered the kitchen to make the tea.

Now alone, Kuroko took a chance to observe the living room. The trophies caught his eye, first, and he read each and every one of Akashi's accomplishments.

_MVP Player Akashi Seijuro_

_Champion Shogi Player_

_Most wins in Shogi_

_Best player of the year_

Some were from Teiko, others from Elementary schools or summer competitions that Kuroko didn't know about. _Akashi-kun is amazing, _he thought.

"I will award you with a vanilla shake sometime in the future, but for now, you will drink tea," Akashi said as he entered the living room with two cups of tea and a plate of cold soybeans for a small snack. Kuroko only nodded grudgingly and picked up the hot cup of tea. He gave it a small sip. Akashi sat down next to him and drank as well. "How is your father?"

Kuroko knew this was an indirect question of 'How are things with your father?' The former captain just asked things vaguely. "Everything is now fine," he faintly said. "Otou-san told me the truth."

Akashi glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "Did he?"

"Hai." Kuroko set his cup down and turned his body so he could look into the red-head's eyes. "Akashi-kun, it's true, isn't it? You set Otou-san up to do—that—to me." 'That' didn't need to be defined between the two.

Akashi stayed calm and gave another sip of his tea once more. He looked back into Kuroko's eyes to answer, "Yes, it is true—"

"Why would Akashi-kun do that?" Kuroko interrupted desperately, but then stopped when he realized he had just interrupted and spoken rudely to his former captain. He looked down onto his lap. "I'm sorry. Otou-san doesn't deserve to be hurting because of me. Akashi-kun—you should have asked someone else. Otou-san . . ."

"Tetsuya." Akashi's cold voice stopped Kuroko from continuing. He closed his mouth and looked at his captain's shoes. "Look at me." He had no choice but to obey. Kuroko raised his head and met the hetero-colored eyes. Immediately, a pale and rough hand grabbed his chin and pulled him closer so that his face and Akashi's face were only a few inches away.

"A-Akashi-kun . . ."

"I'm sure your father has told you this more than once," Akashi said sternly. "He will do anything to remove you from that house and into safety, even if it costs your trust. I have the same mentality. I will do anything, including destroying the people emotionally around you, if it means you will be safe. Your father knew that, and he also knew what he wanted himself. He chose his job; I gave him a choice. You _will_ not worry about such useless subjects. Your father would deny the trouble of his job immediately if he were to listen to you." He leaned his face closer to the speechless Kuroko. "Now, tell me again, do you think I am a lie, Tetsuya?"

Slowly, very slowly, Kuroko shook his head as much as it could go in Akashi's grasp. "No, Akashi-kun is not a lie." Gently, his paler hand grasped Akashi's hand that was holding his chin and pulled himself out of the grasp. The red-head watched him carefully as Kuroko, still holding his hand, brought it down to his lap. "I'm sorry for doubting Akashi-kun."

Akashi held onto Kuroko's hand tightly, the one in their laps, and used his other to cup Kuroko's cheek. "May I try something else, Tetsuya?"

"Something else?" Kuroko had a vague idea what Akashi wanted. ". . . Yes."

The red-head smirked before leaning in to press his lips against Kuroko's. Both lips were soft and moist and tasting like the tea they had just drank. Kuroko tighened his grip on Akashi's hands before he hesitantly responded to the kiss. It was awkward at first, since their first kiss Akashi mostly did the work while Kuroko stood still. However, now that the teal-head was prepared for it, he did not know what to do.

Akashi chuckled against the kiss and broke apart slightly to talk. "I will try something new. Do not panic," he murmured against Kuroko's lips.

A little frightened, Kuroko let go of Akashi's hand and shakily brought both of his arms around the red-head's body. He clutched onto Akashi's clothes. The said teen brought his extra hand to cup Kuroko's other cheek, and their lips connected once again. This time, though, something wet licked against his lower lip.

Kuroko, startled, opened his mouth, and Akashi gently put his tongue in, so that the smaller teen wouldn't reject him. Of course, Kuroko easily submitted to Akashi's strong dominance. The hold the teal-head had onto his captain was now tight, but Akashi didn't mind. He only gently kissed, guiding the inexperienced teen with his tongue.

They broke apart when Kuroko was running out of oxygen. He panted slightly while Akashi kept his face close to the passer's face. Blue eyes met red and yellows ones, and before Kuroko knew it, he was pressed against Akashi's body, his face buried into his shoulder. Kuroko encouraged the embrace and wounded his arms more fully around the sturdy body. In turn, Akashi pressed one hand onto the back of the teal head and the other wrapped around his waist. On the couch, the red-head had his legs stretched out so that Kuroko could sit on his lap with his own legs wrapped around his waist.

"Akashi-kun?" Kuroko asked softly.

"What is it?" Akashi speaking made Kuroko feel the soothing vibrations from his chest.

"What . . . are we?" came the hesitant question. "What—is our relationship?" A faint blushed appeared onto Kuroko's face, but no one could see it.

The hetero-eyed teen carefully unwrapped the small teen and pulled him away so that he could look into the blank blue eyes. "What do you want us to be, Tetsuya?" He ran a hand through Kuroko's hair. "Are you asking me to be my," he smirked, "lover?"

"Please don't say things so bluntly and suddenly," Kuroko said, but Akashi knew the teal-head was embarassed. He looked down to hide his blush. "I don't want to think differently than what you think of us, Akashi-kun."

Akashi's face softened and he leaned down to capture a chaste kiss from the teen. "You are mine," he said, straightforward. The red-head was never one to say sweet phrases, such as 'You're my lover' or 'I'll always treasure you'. His sweet, yet often misinterpreted phrases usually involved dominance, orders, and force. Kuroko, however, knew Akashi well enough to know what it meant. "You still stay mine, and no one else's. Only I can taste your lips." He stole another kiss to prove his point.

It wasn't exactly the most softest moment a couple could have, but Kuroko's mind translated the words into something similar as 'You're precious to me, and I will not give you up. No one can have you'. He looked up to Akashi with a seemingly blank face. Akashi also translated the expression to one of gratefulness.

"We can't make it public, Tetsuya," Akashi reminded. "Our target is your mother. If your mother finds out from the public, it would only make matters worse. You may tell your father or the others such as Shintarou and Daiki, but no one else."

"Hai," Kuroko nodded. "May I—may I—Akashi-kun . . . May I be in-" He struggled with the words.

"Yes, you may." Somehow, the red-head knew what Kuroko wanted and brought him into his arms once again. Kuroko took his usual position and held Akashi's mid-section tightly. He rested his head against the strong shoulder.

Akashi shifted his position so that they both were comfortable. They fell into a comfortable silence, with Akashi thinking of the plans to destroy Ibuki and having Kuroko safe and Kuroko wondering if his father would accept his relationship. After all, Kuroko didn't want to lie to his father.

After awhile, Akashi's still position caused uncomfortable aching in his back and legs. "Tetsuya, I'll have to—"He paused his speech when he realized he could hear evened-out breathing. Akashi moved his head to look at the teal-haired teen on the shoulder.

Kuroko was asleep, his mouth slightly open to take small breaths onto Akashi's neck. His arms were still wounded around Akashi's body, but he was sure the said boy was asleep. Kuroko's face was relaxed and ignorant, not caring of the dangers that laid out in his future ahead. It seemed the teal-head felt secure in the arms of Akashi. The captain was about to wake him up, but stopped and observed the teen. Now that he took a better look, he noticed there were faint circles under Kuroko's eyes, and his face also showed exhaustion. Akashi clucked his tongue. _He has not been sleeping well. _

Gently, as to not wake him up, Akashi easily lifted the teen and set Kuroko beside him. Kuroko's head still rested on Akashi's shoulder, and his body was still molded into the captain's body, but it was a much more comfortable position. Akashi put an arm around Kuroko's shoulder to keep him secure and, discreetly, he settled his head onto the passer's.

**~Setting Skip~**

"Are you sure you got the email, Kise?" Aomine asked, annoyed as hell that he had to come all the way to Kanagawa for the blonde's sake. "And it said my name on it?"

"Yes!" Kise confirmed. "It was from Akashicchi. It said Aominecchi had to be here, too!"

"Then why couldn't we do this at my place?"

The blonde stopped in front of his house and turned to glare at the tanned teenager. "I always come to Tokyo for you. Aomnecchi has to visit me sometime, too!"

Aomine scoffed. "Tch, how annoying."

Kise turned around and unlocked the door with the key he held. Before he opened it though, he turned to hesitantly inform, "K-Kaa-san is home right now, so we have to be quiet."

Aomine furrowed his eyebrows. "Yeah, okay."

The door opened, and the two teenagers stepped inside the house. Aomine was surprised at how big it was on the inside, along with how _neat _it was. When he commented on this though, he received a smack from the blonde. "Did you think I lived like a slob, Aominecchi?" he whined.

"It~eh," Aomine complained and rubbed his arm. "No need to get violent."

"We have to go to my room. There's a computer there," Kise said and maneuvered around the teenager to enter the living room. "Kaa-san, I'm home."

"Mm, Ryouta? Home so soon?" A blonde woman lifted her head from a computer desk and looked sleepily at Kise's way. Dark rings were detected under her eyes. Her hair was not brushed, and the skin on her face was not tended and washed as it was usually. Her smile seemed to be force. "Who is this?"

Aomine, shocked at Kise's mother's appearance, couldn't respond right away. When Kise jabbed him in the hip though, he was able to speak. "Aomine Daiki," he said while bowing shortly. "Nice to meet you."

"He's my friend I've been talking about, Kaa-san," Kise explained, his voice up-beat. Even with the happy facade though, Aomine could see his smile was also forced. "He's here to help with my school project. We'll be in my room."

His mother rubbed her eye. "All right. I won't be able to bring up some snacks, so please help yourself. And keep the door open!" The last part came as a natural joke.

"Kaa-san!" Kise whined, blushing red. "Don't—don't listen to her Aominecchi!" He grabbed Aomine's arm and yanked him up the stairs to his room. Aomine went along with him. When they were safely out of hearing range, Kise let go of the dazed teenager. However, at the sight of the ace's questioning look, Kise looked away from him. Aomine scrunched his eyebrows. "Kaa-san has been looking for a job," he explained faintly. "Her pay is too low, so she's been spending every day of her time to look for a higher-paying job. That's why she looks like that. Tou-san has been working overtime to get promoted back up, and to make up for the lost of pay. It's—been hectic." Kise sniffed and rubbed his eyes with one arm. "I'm also looking for a job to support them, but I can't."

Aomine patted his blonde head awkwardly, yet it was comforting at the same time. "Let's move on to the email," he suggested.

Kise rubbed his eyes once more. "R-right. Akashicchi said we have to have the information by sun-down."

"What is it exactly?"

Kise turned on his sleeping computer and opened up his email. He clicked on Akashi's read message:

_Daiki and you are skilled with photo editing. Use the two pictures I have attached and edit any similarities and program it. The pictures in the end should look almost the same. Send the information by sun-down. _

_Akashi_

"What the hell?" Aomine raised an eyebrow. "Photo editing?"

"I have a program on my computer," Kise pitched in. "We could use that."

"Download the pictures first."

In the end, the pictures were an unknown, strange-looking woman and Kuroko's mother. Kise loathed the Kuroko Ibuki picture, but opened it up on his program anyway. He put the two pictures next to each other. "They do look alike," Kise said, surprised. "But different, too. Are they sisters?"

"No, they can't be sisters," Aomine denied. He took the mouse from the blonde. "The one on the left looks younger than the one on the right. But look," he zoomed in on both the pictures by 50%. Their jawline structure, their cheekbones, their nose shape along with the nose bridge are too similar to be sisters. Plus," Aomine moved the mouse to focus on the necks. "There's a mole on the left picture, right on the left side of her neck, see? There's also a mole there on the right picture. They're the same person."

"Eh?" Kise tilted his side. "Why would Kurokocchi's mother be the person the left? They don't look exactly the same!"

"Yeah," Aomine agreed. "I think that's why Akashi wanted us to solve it for him."

"How?"

Aomine didn't answer as he click on several tools of Kise's program. His father worked as a programmer and photo editor as a living, so he picked up many of his tricks and talents as a kid. He scaled the left picture's face and airbrushed it lightly. He also worked on the right picture, turning the face that was tightly skinned back into having the same, natural wrinkles like the left. Kise watched, often adding comments with his own knowledge.

In the end, they ended up with two extremely similar faces.

"Now I can see they're the same person," Kise said. "But why do they still look a little different?"

"Ibuki must have had some type of plastic surgery," Aomine predicted. "Akashi must have guessed that and sent this to us to confirm it."

"Akashicchi is too smart," Kise groaned.

The tanned teenager grunted. "Anyway, let's send this to Akashi before he becomes impatient."

Aomine logged into his own email account and attached the three pictures. The original, and then the aftercome. He pushed 'send'.

**~Setting Skip~**

"Aka-chin," Murasakibara knocked loudly on Akashi's front door. He had rode the train all the way here after basketball practice, but didn't think of calling his former captain first. "Aka-chin," he complained again. "It's cold, Aka-chin!"

There was no answer. Murasakibara frowned and pouted at the same time. Why was Akashi ignoring him? He didn't usually ignor him. Where was the spare key, again?

The giant looked around, from under the mats to the potted plants. However, the red-head was too smart for those obvious places, and Murasakibara couldn't find the key anyway. "Aka-chin is mean," he muttered and looked around once again. This time, something silver caught his eye. The giant blinked and bent down to examine it. It was the key, right next to the door, embedded in the wall. He had completely missed it. _Leave it to Aka-chin to know people wouldn't see the key if it was placed right in front of their eyes._

Murasakibara unlocked the door and opened it, glad for the warm air that greeted him. The door slammed behind him. He gave his cracker stick a munch before saying loudly, "Aka-chin, why are you—"

He stopped talking when he walked halfway and stared at the couple before him. There, on the red couch, sat Akashi and Kuroko. Kuroko's head was half on Akashi's shoulder, half on Akashi's chest. His hands clutched onto Akashi's front uniform, and his eyes were closed peacefully into a deep sleep. Akashi had an arm wrapped protectively around the small teen, his chin resting on Kuroko's head, his eyes also closed, asleep. The two were completely unaware of the purple-haired giant, who was munching loudly. They looked peaceful and tired at the same time.

"Mm, the others would want to see this," Murasakibara thought out loud and took out his cellphone. He quickly snapped a photo and sent it to the rest of the Generation of Miracles. His cracker stick gone, Murasakibara took out a lollipop and stuck it in his mouth. "What should I do now? I came all the way here . . ." He looked at the sleeping couple.

_Mm, I'll leave Aka-chin and Kuro-chin alone. Aka-chin and Kuro-chin needs a rest. _

* * *

Okay, even though I totally smothered you with promised AkaKuro moments, this chapter was important :3 And, this chapter is the start of the real battle. Hope you're ready!

This is the position Murasakibara found the two in:

advanced anime

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(slash) pictures (slash) normal_

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without spaces (Replace dots with periods and slashes with actual slashes), and except Kuroko's body is supposed to be more on the side. Sigh, AkaKuro is so my OTP, but as you can see, they're not the best at expressing their feelings xD Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! Please review, if you have not!

Also, please don't tell me to update ever faster xD I'm trying my best here (it's 3am right now). And with the new semester, I'm trying to update as regularly as possible. Thank you for your support!

By the way, starting from chapter 16, I will be taking the liberty to message back and thank each and every review I received in that chapter :) It's just to say thank you. If you didn't receive a PM from me and you reviewed chapter 16, tell me :D Unless you're a guest :[

~Virelei


	18. Chapter 18

**Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form**

**Chapter 18**

Akashi looked at his watch and interally sighed. It was already almost noon. He grabbed the loose tie he wore and retied it before tightening it. Once again in a button-down shirt (this time black) and red tie, he stood in front of his family's house. For some reason, the red-head was hesitating to ring the intercom.

Yes, Akashi Seijuro was hesitating.

"I am quite busy today," he said aloud and looked at his watch, again. "I did plan to take Tetsuya—"

"Seijuro, I know you're out there. If you don't get your ass in this house in fifteen seconds, I'll stop paying for your home and kick you out onto the streets!" The intercom suddenly blared of a woman's snarling voice. Akashi blinked coolly, startled but it didn't show. There were only two people who could talk to and threaten him like that and be alive: his father and mother.

_As expected of Mother, _Akashi thought and walked in as the gates to the large house opened. The front door unlocked just as his polished, black shoes hit the steps. Akashi Hayato appeared at the threshold, his face tired and wary.

"Your mother is in the family room," he said, exhausted. "She is waiting."

"Hm." Akashi stepped inside his childhood home and took off his jacket to hang. "I received your email."

Hayato ran a hand through his hair. "Of course you did. It is the only reason why you came here, is it not?"

"That, among others," Akashi retorted. "Is Mother . . . well?"

"More or less," he said tersely. Hayato reached a hand and turned his son around by the shoulder to inspect him. He didn't know why Akashi was so short, while Hayato and Rin were tall, and he desperately hoped his son would soon receive a growth spurt, soon. "Your hair is getting long."

"It is not," Akashi said and stepped out of his hold. "I'd rather keep it like this." He turned around before his father could respond and started walking toward the family room, where his mother waited. His footsteps echoed softly in the large, lit hall. He turned and—rather slowly—set his foot in the desired room.

His mother's red hair was first visible before her whole body was when he kept walking inside. Akashi Rin sat on the luxurious couch with her legs crossed, one arm over her stomach, and the other holding a cup of tea to her lips. Her strange-colored eyes flickered toward Akashi as she drank calmly.

"Seijuro," she greeted as she sat the tea down.

"Mother," Akashi said in return. All Akashi's were awkwardly formal. "I am home."

"How convenient to call this house 'home'," Hayato said behind him, also stepping inside the room. "Sit, Seijuro."

All of them sat, and soon, they formed a triangle in the room. Akashi sat on the recliner at Rin's left, and Hayato sat on the other couch on Rin's right. Tea was served for Akashi, and the family sat in an 'awkward' silence, every one of them drinking their tea quietly and eating on the provided snacks. The red-haired teen sat back and crossed his legs. He stared at his mother with an expectant expression,

"You asked for me, Mother?"

Rin set down her tea rather calmly before running a hand through her red hair. "I did, Seijuro." Her cool tone had Hayato give a glance of pity at his son. "How is your friend, these days? His name is—ah, if I can recall, Kuroko Tetsuya?"

Akashi tensed internally on the inside. His mother did know, after all. "He is well," he said smoothly. "There is nothing particular to say about him."

"Oh? Nothing?" Rin's voice started to take an edgy tone. "Not even about this hidden abuse from his mother that lasted all the way through middle school without my awareness?"

Hayato sucked in his breath, "Rin—"

"I really do not know—" Something fast and dangerous flew just above Akashi's scalp and landed into the wall behind him. Used to this all his life, Akashi simply stopped talking and stared at his mother with burning hetero-colored eyes. Behind him, a butter knife embedded itself into the once-undamaged wall.

"Is _my son_ lying to me?" Rin purred.

"I was not done talking," Akashi said coldly.

"No need," Rin snapped. She stood up abruptly and strode toward her son, who was watching her with a cool and blank face. The red-haired woman loomed over Akashi, their height difference even more distinct since the teen was sitting. "How come you did not inform me Kuroko Tetsuya was a victim of abuse by Ibuki?"

Akashi looked at Rin's branded pants' pocket and noticed an extra butter knife stuck out slightly, glinting anonymously in the light. He looked up to his mother's face again, and coolly replied, "I saw no emergency in informing you at that moment. I made Father aware of it now, so does it matter?"

Rin's left eye twitched, and she wrung her hands as if she was choking Akashi. "You are such a brat," she hissed.

"You usually mention he can't be a brat," Hayato chirped. "Since _you_ raised him, after all."

"Don't put words back into my mouth." Rin leaned in close so that her son's face was close to her's. "Tell me; is it fun lying to me?"

"Mother, I did not—"

Rin turned her head away and pretended not to listen. "You lied to me! Omitted the truth! It's the same as lying!"

Akashi sighed and put a hand over his eyes. Once his mother was like this, words could not explain anything to her. Rin saw the sigh though, and an angry, yet fake smile appeared onto her face slowly.

Hayato, seeing his son's life in danger, spoke loudly to interrupt the two, "Seijuro, your mother—although exaggerated—is quite right. Telling us of Ibuki during your middle school years could have helped some in destroying her."

The teen glanced at his father, then to his mother, then back to his father. _One of the many reasons why I live seperately. _"Then I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or disrespect I showed."

From the bland, cold tone, both parents knew Akashi didn't mean the useless apology.

"An apology won't be enough!" Rin declared. "As punishment, you will bring Kuroko Tetsuya here so Hayato and I can meet him!"

. . . . Hayato coughed.

. . . . Rin raised an eyebrow.

. . . . Akashi looked to the side.

They froze in their positions for a long time, with Akashi mulling over the idea, Rin ready to kill her son if he refused, and Hayato ready to pull Akashi out of harm's way before he had to attend his funeral.

Akashi opened his mouth, "I refu—"

A butter knife whizzed through the air, the dull, metal part scraping against Akashi's cheek before embedding itself right under the the previously thrown knife. Hayato held his breath at the seething Rin. "You were saying, Seijuro?"

The red-haired teen looked at his mother with a fearless glance and pulled out his cellphone. On the inside, however, he was still getting over the fact he was alive from his mother's attack.

**~Setting Skip~**

Kuroko's ringtone had the teal-haired teen awake in his bed. He slowly opened his eyes and blinked before reaching for his phone, wincing at his sore muscles. Haru had insisted him to take more naps during the day so that his body could heal quicker. The one thing Kuroko didn't want from the naps, though, was his horrible case of bed-head.

"It's Akashi-kun," he mumbled as he sleepily read the caller ID. He flipped open the phone and pressed the answer button. "Akashi-kun . . ."

"Were you asleep, Tetsuya?" Akashi's voice woke up the teen some more.

"Ah, yes, but it is fine." Kuroko pushed himself up weakly and leaned his back against his headboard. "Do you need something, Akashi-kun?"

"Hm," Akashi said. "I'm aware it is last minute, but I have already prepared a ride for you. Get dressed properly."

"A ride? Are we going somewhere, Akashi-kun?"

Kuroko threw his blankets off of himself and tried to stand up from the bed. Dizziness got the better of him, however, and he had to hold onto a table to balance himself. He took a glimpse of himself in the mirror. His teal hair, as expected, was a bird's nest. Some strands he wondered how they were even positioned the way it was.

"You are," Akashi answered. "You will be going to my house in Kyoto. You are going to meet my mother and father."

Kuroko stood in stunned silence. The words Akashi spoke seemed to be unable to be processed through his head. Mother? Father? Akashi's? The thought of it scared the teal-head. "A-ah, I don't think that's a good idea."

"You're coming, Tetsuya," Akashi ordered, but he softened his voice to reassure the teen, "Do not worry. My parents will not harm you."

Kuroko could hear a woman's voice in the background: "Harm? Him? Seijuro, what have you been telling him about us?"

Akashi seemed to ignore her because Kuroko didn't hear his response. "I already have a ride waiting to take you to the train station. When you get off at Kyoto, there will be another driver there. You will not walk under any circumstances, do you understand?"

"Hai. . ."

"Dress appropriately. I will be waiting." Akashi hung up.

Kuroko looked at his cell phone with a small frown before he set it on the desk beside him. It was last minute and unexpected, but if Akashi asked him to come visit, he would do it.

The problem was he didn't have any formal clothes to wear. His mother rarely took him out for 'special occasions', so Kuroko found no need to look for 'appropriate clothing'. _The nicest shirt I have is washing, _Kuroko thought. _Will Otou-san have an old one?_

"Otou-san?" the teen called out softly as he exited his room. He didn't know whether or not his father was still in the house.

"In here," Haru replied. It came from the small office. Kuroko padded across the hallway and entered the stuffy, make-shift office halfway. His father was sitting on a rolling chair, and he turned to glance at Kuroko. He tried hard not to look at his son's hair. "Did you have a good nap? Do you need something?"

"Hai, I did," Kuroko answered the first question. "And . . . ano, Otou-san, do you own an old, formal shirt?"

Haru raised an eyebrow. "An old, formal shirt? Why?"

Kuroko hesitated, "I am going to visit Akashi-kun in Kyoto."

"You need a formal shirt for that?"

He looked down to his bare feet and flexed his hands. "I will be meeting his parents," Kuroko said softly.

Haru processed the information and pursed his lips. "Ah, I see." He stood up to stretch before pointing over to the small, worn out sofa against the wall. "Sit there. I'll see if I have one that fits."

"Thank you, Otou-san." Kuroko limped over to the couch and sat down stiffly onto the cushions. He rubbed his eyes sleepily, watching as his father search through his closet of clothes.

Their house only had three rooms; Kuroko's bedroom, the master bedroom, and then a small, stuffy room that only had a small window. Since Haru and Ibuki don't share the same room, Haru slept in the tiny room and worked in it as a make-shift office. Naturally, most of his clothes would be here.

"I have a lot, but due to your size, I don't think any of them would fit," Haru informed him. "Let's try this one . . ."

He crossed the room with a mere three strides and knelt down in front of his son. "Arms up," he ordered.

Kuroko frowned. "I can do it myself, Otou-san."

"The last time you tried to change alone, you injured yourself, again. Arms up."

Seeing that he couldn't disobey, the teen sighed and held up his arms. Haru gently took off his shirt, aware of the mending ribs and sore bruises. He studied the bandages that wrapped around his son's body, which helped Kuroko breath by keeping his back straight and the bones in line. "Are your bandages too tight?" Kuroko denied it. "All right, slide your arms through the sleeves."

Soon, Kuroko had the oversized blue button-down shirt on. Haru stood, analyzed his son, and burst out laughing. Kuroko, confused at Haru's laughter, stood and moved in front of a mirror to check if there was anything weird. He furrowed his eyebrows when his image appeared on the glass.

Along with the birds' nest hair, Kuroko was now wearing an extremely baggy shirt. The sleeves went passed his hands and hung from his wrists. The hem of the shirt reached the middle of his thighs. Even though it was buttoned, it slipped off of his shoulders and hung by his arm.

"Otou-san," Kuroko protested. "I cannot wear this in front of Akashi-kun. It is too big."

Haru chuckled. "That shirt is from my college days, too. You need to grow, Tetsu." Kuroko gave him a blank expression. His father sighed and looked through his pile of clothes once again. "It's not as formal, but I think it is appropriate." He picked out a white long-sleeve shirt with a collar and a navy blue vest, along with dark jeans. "The jeans might not fit you perfectly, but we can roll them up."

After several minutes, Kuroko wore the complete set of clothes. The sleeves were still a little too long, but his father was able to fold them neatly. His jeans were also rolled up, but that would be hidden with his shoes. The vest fit him almost perfectly. It was a little loose, but it wasn't anything major.

"This is better," Haru decided. "However, you need to do something about your hair."

Kuroko touched his hair with a distraught expression. "I don't have any time to fix it."

"In that case," Haru walked over and grabbed a black beanie from his desk. "You'll have to wear this. It's cold, anyway. Akashi-kun would expect you to wear something warm, would he not?"

"Hai," came Kuroko's quiet response.

Gently, Haru fit the beanie over his son's head, effectively covering the crazy bed-head hair. The beanie contrasted well with Kuroko's pale skin. "All right, you're set now. Do you need a ride to Akashi-kun's house?"

"No, Akashi-kun has provided a ride for me," Kuroko declined politely. "Thank you, Otou-san."

Haru bent down and laid a kiss on Kuroko's forehead. "Be careful. It's cold, so bring a jacket. Come back before eight, okay? Your mother will be home at nine, so it is better for you to come home first."

"I will," Kuroko said obediently. "Does Otou-san want me to get something from Kyoto?"

"No, I am fine," Haru smiled. "Akashi-kun might get impatient. You better hurry before you miss the train."

"Hai. I will be going!" Kuroko left the office and started down the stairs. He made sure to grab his coat from the kitchen chair before leaving the house surreptitiously, the door shutting behind him with a click. Immediately, cold, Tokyo air bit his cheeks and swarmed around his frail body. Kuroko shivered and put on his coat. _Otou-san's right. It is cold. _

"Ano . . . excuse me, are you Kuroko-san?"

An unknown voice had Kuroko snap up his head to meet dark, brown eyes. A young man was looming over the small teen. The man had a standard suit on, as well as black, leather gloves that enclosed around his fingers. He had a small smile on his face.

"I am sorry, but do I know you?" Kuroko asked politely.

"Ah, so you are Kuroko-san." The man stepped back and bowed. "I am Takanaga Kouta. Akashi-san has sent me here to pick you up."

Kuroko, startled, bowed as well. "Akashi-kun sent you?"

"I live close by, and since I owe the Akashi family a favor, it's the least I could do for their son," Kouta smiled and gestured behind him. "Shall we go? The station isn't far, but the train leaves in about half an hour."

The teen nodded, not used to being picked up in such a manner, and only followed the man silently to the worn-down looking car. He climbed into the back seat while Kouta fell into the driver's. "Down to the train station we go!"

True enough, the ride to the station was short. Kouta gave him the pre-purchased ticket to Kyoto, to which Kuroko thanked for, and then warned the teen there would be a woman who would be picking him up at Kyoto. Kuroko, memorizing the information, nodded, and entered the train station. Having gone up and down to Kyoto many times for his mother's 'errands', Kuroko was familiar where to go and what train to take.

"The doors are closing. Please stand clear of the doors."

Kuroko stumbled to an empty seat next to a window. It was a little crowded, so he was lucky to have found a window seat, isolated from the crowd. Nobody noticed him, anyway, so being isolated from a crowd was easy. The teal-head rested his head against the cool window and sighed.

_Akashi-kun's parents . . . Will they be just like Akashi-kun?_

He had only met Akashi's mother once, and it was only for a brief moment of time. From that brief moment of time, Kuroko could gather that the woman was extremely smart and that Akashi had received most of his traits from her. Other than that, he knew nothing of his former captain's parents.

_Do they know of Akashi-kun's and my . . . relationship? _Kuroko almost blushed at the thought of it.

The train stopped all too soon, and Kuroko was forced to exit the train. It took both the woman picking him up and Kuroko awhile to find each other. With the woman unable to notice Kuroko's presence, and Kuroko unable to look over the tall people, it was almost impossible to spot each other. It wasn't until they literally bumped into each other that they were able to find one another.

"I am terribly sorry," the woman apologized once again as they drove up to the front gate. The gates opened automatically, probably because someone knew they were coming. Though she obviously didn't drive her car through the gates. She stopped right out front. "I hope I wasn't such an inconvenience to you."

"It is fine," Kuroko bowed his head. "It is my fault as well. Thank you for the ride."

"The Akashi family will greet you at the entrance. Just walk up that path and knock on the door."

"Hai. Thank you very much." Kuroko ducked his head to get out of the car and closed the door behind him. The car revved up as soon as he closed the door. He was left alone staring at the large house before him. "Akashi-kun is rich . . ."

* * *

"Is he coming soon?" Rin asked impatiently.

Akashi looked at his watch. "He should be here."

His mother scoffed and glanced at Akashi with the corner of her eye. "Your tie!" Rin turned to face Akashi. "It's not tight enough." She reached for his red tie and deliberately tightened it to the extreme. Rin even gave it some extra tugs just for her satisfaction. Akashi showed no emotion that indicated he was choking.

"You are choking me, Mother. I can hardly breathe," was all he said.

"Good. You deserve it."

Hayato rolled his eyes. When his wife turned around, he discreetly loosened his son's tie and raised an eyebrow when Akashi gave him a blank stare. His son was never one to thank someone bluntly. "What kind of tea does Kuroko Tetsuya like?" Rin demanded.

Akashi took a moment to think about it. "_Uji _green tea," he responded. Rin quickly told this information to one of the servants. "He will try to eat or drink something unhealthy. He is still healing, though, so refuse any attempts."

The red-head woman sniffed. "You're so uptight, Seijuro."

_Did Mother just call me 'uptight'?_

A faint knock had the three Akashi's turn their heads toward the door. Immediately, Akashi and Rin walked briskly to the front. "Seijuro, step back. I will open the door," Rin said sharply.

"Mother, you will scare him. I will open the door."

_"I will!"_

"I will."

"Seijuro, step back!"

"That is something I cannot do."

In the end, Hayato opened the door while mother and son 'calmly' and 'formally' argued. The door swung open, and Kuroko appeared on the porch steps, his skin paler than it should be. Hayato regarded his outfit in approval and gave a smile to the teen. "Hello. You must be Kuroko Tetsuya."

Kuroko bowed deeply. "D-domo. Hai, I am Kuroko Tetsuya. It's an honor to meet you, Akashi-san." The teal-head took a 'wild' guess the man was Akashi's father. It actually wasn't hard to figure out, with the red-hair and eyes.

Hayato smirked, and a chuckle escaped his lips. "Seijuro and Rin were right; you are overly-polite." He put a hand on the boy's shoulder, but frowned when Kuroko gave a natural flinch. _Ibuki has done a ton to him. _"Raise your head. I do not know what Seijuro told you, but I am not scary," he scratched his head. "Much."

"Saying that makes you quite frightening, Father." Akashi's voice appeared behind Hayato, and Kuroko's eyes dully lit at the sound. "And I said no such thing about you. In fact, I have never mentioned you."

The red-head teen stepped out to be in Kuroko's line of vision. He had his trademark smirk on, and he reached a hand to touch Kuroko's left shoulder. Hayato noted the teen didn't flinch when Akashi touched him. "Tetsuya, how was your trip here?"

"It was fine," Kuroko said quietly. "I am glad I can see Akashi-kun."

"Hm."

"Seijuro, let me take a look at him." Another voice, this time feminine, had Kuroko on his senses. A tall-ish, red-haired woman walked through father and son and stopped right in front of the teen. She bent her body to inspect him closely. "Hm . . ."

"Nice to meet you," Kuroko said blandly and bowed. "Akashi-san."

It was silent. Too silent for too long that Kuroko thought he had said something wrong. When he prepared to apologize, though, two warm hands set upon his cold cheeks and lifted his head. Kuroko was met with colored eyes. "Tetsuya," Rin rolled the name off her tongue. "You are very cute."

Akashi sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Hayato only put a palm over his face.

Kuroko blinked. "Thank you."

"And so polite," Rin fawned. "You are simply what I imagined you to be. I've only met you once before, and yet you haven't changed at all."

"Thank you . . ."

"Enough, Mother." Akashi gently took Kuroko out of his mother's hold. "You do not usually praise people like such."

Rin crossed her arms. "That's because I don't have a son that obeys me."

Akashi pretended he didn't hear that and turned his attention toward Kuroko. He touched the beanie he wore. "Were you so cold you had to wear this, Tetsuya?" He fingered the beanie with a frown. It covered most of Kuroko's hair, and Akashi did not like that.

"No," Kuroko said. "Since Akashi-kun woke me up from a nap, my hair was not neat. I didn't have time to fix it." Ah, yes, the red-head remembered the atrocious bed-heads Kuroko would receive every morning during their Teiko summer training camps. It wouldn't do well to come to his parents' with hair like that.

"Come inside, Tetsuya," Hayato said. "We have been waiting for you."

"I hope I have not kept you waiting for too long," Kuroko said as he took off his shoes in the house. He didn't bother with his jacket, since he was still cold.

"You did not," Rin intercepted. "There's tea waiting in the room. Do you have any particular likes on snacks?"

Kuroko stole a quick glance at Akashi, wondering if it'd be okay to request something. He looked back at Rin when he saw no reaction from the red-haired teen. "Would it be okay to have a vanill—"

"Do not even try it, Tetsuya," Akashi ordered. Kuroko glumly shut his mouth. Hayato struggled from smiling.

They settled in the family room once again. Rin in the recliner this time, Hayato on the same couch he had been on, and Akashi and Kuroko next to each other on the other couch. Kuroko reluctantly snacked on some cold soybeans, at Akashi's command. Hayato watched and analyzed the relationship between the two.

"Tetsuya," Rin called. Kuroko turned his attention to her. "You attended the same middle school as Seijuro, correct? You were on the basketball team?"

"Hai," Kuroko confirmed.

"Do you enjoy playing with Seijuro?"

The teal-haired teen felt uncomfortable at the attention the Akashi family were giving him, but he answered quietly anyway, "Hai, I did."

Rin ran a hand through her hair. "Then tell me, why did you not attend Rakuzan with Seijuro? Why did you enroll to Seirin, an unknown school with a poor basketball team, when Rakuzan excels in both academics and sports?"

"Mother," Akashi warned.

Kuroko bowed his head. The red-head_s_ watched as he clutched his lap and shadowed his face by ducking down. Akashi put a hand over his teal-head. "It is certainly true," Kuroko breathed, "that I had fun playing with Akashi-kun and everyone else. H-however . . . I did not wish to follow Akashi-kun to Rakuzan. I . . . relied on the Teiko team too much, and Akashi-kun and everybody else were leaving me behind. I wanted to get stronger—to surpass Akashi-kun." He took a small breath from talking too much. "Seirin is not bad, either. I have many reliable teammates there."

Akashi resisted from rolling his eyes. "Foolish," he stated, putting a finger under Kuroko's chin to lift up his head. "I always win, so I am always right. I doubt you will beat me under any circumstances."

Kuroko looked into the hetero-colored eyes, determined. "Maybe not in basketball, yet, Akashi-kun, but I do know that I can drink more vanilla shakes than you."

"That has nothing to do—"

"Stop it with the PDA," Rin snapped. "It hurts my eyes."

"You were the one who questioned him, Mother," Akashi said, releasing Kuroko's chin. "Are you satisfied?"

"No."

Hayato gave Rin a dry look while Akashi ignored his mother. "Now that you have met Tetsuya, I will proceed with _my_ business in being here."

"And what is your business, Seijuro?" It was Hayato who spoke this time. The father was already tired from the banter of Akashi and Rin, so he wanted to get straight to the point before Rin interrupted.

"Kuroko Ibuki."

The name had Kuroko tense. Akashi pulled the teen closer, so that their shoulders were touching. Kuroko discreetly grabbed onto the edge of Akashi's shirt. "We are ready. The preparations are finished."

Rin inched up her perfectly arched eyebrows and delicately steepled her fingers. "Oh? You have enough evidence?"

"I do. I have managed to figure it out." Akashi smirked. "It's nearing the end."

Kuroko, lost, straightened and asked, "What are you talking about, Akashi-kun?" He let out a small yawn, but quickly closed his mouth and rubbed one of his eyes.

"Ibuki," the red-head repeated. "Your mother—her secrets have been revealed." He stretched his fingers and flexed his hands. "The time to get you out of that house is coming."

"Are you sure, Seijuro?" Hayato demanded. "There are no mistakes in the law industry. You have flawless evidence and witnesses? There are no assumptions? Everything has to be concrete."

Red and yellow eyes met mixed colored ones. Akashi nodded slightly to his father. "Everything is concrete. I am betting everything on this one."

"Don't . . . bet everything . . Akashi-kun," Kuroko rubbed his eyes, realizing sleep was getting the better of him. "It's. . good everything . . is set. Very . . goo . . d." The teal-haired teen couldn't fight it off any longer. His head slowly fell onto Akashi's lap. He fell asleep as soon as his ear touched the warm lap of his partner's.

All three Akashi's looked at the sleeping boy with disbelief. One moment the boy was awake, and the next he was asleep on the teen's legs. Akashi recovered first, and he fought to keep a smile off his face. Putting a hand over Kuroko's head, he spoke quietly as to not wake up the small sixteen-year-old, "His body is still healing. We interrupted his sleep. His beatings from his mother are not light, so he is still in a fragile state."

"I understand," Hayato observed the sleeping boy with an expression of surprise. "And Seijuro, I don't especially care what gender you prefer, but I do want to be a grandfather later on. Make sure you adopt."

Akashi stiffened. "Don't state such ridiculous subjects, Father."

"I'd rather have a wife for you. However, if you must choose males, then Tetsuya is the best choice," his mother added.

"Do not say such nonsense as well, Mother."

Hayato stretched with a sigh. "Back to the matter at hand; Seijuro, you are sure you are ready?"

"I am," Akashi confirmed. "And I'd like to be the prosecutor in this case, and Mother to be the attorney."

Rin smirked. "It'd be a _pleasure_."

* * *

Midorima's phone buzzed. It was a low, warning buzz that had the green-head's instincts on alert. "It's simply a text," he murmured to himself. He dug through his school bag and flipped open his phone.

_We are ready._

The shooter blinked. It only took a couple of seconds for him to comprehend the meaning of the words. He narrowed his eyes and tapped his taped fingers against his leg. "Interesting." He snapped the phone closed.

* * *

_We are ready._

Murasakibara lazily opened a bag of chips and popped only one in his mouth. He munched loudly. "Kuro-chin . . ."

He ate another one.

* * *

_We are ready._

Aomine shot yet another basketball through the net with one hand. He bent down, heaving. Sweat dripped down his face slowly, and a towel hung from his neck. In his left hand was a cell-phone. "It's not like me to practice," he grumbled.

He clutched the phone tighter.

* * *

_We are ready._

Kise smiled. It was a warning smile; a vengeful one. He gripped onto the cell-phone and stared at the wall in front of him. "Finally," he whispered. "I will take revenge for Kaa-san and Tou-san."

He laughed and flipped the phone closed. "The Generation of Miracles are ready."

* * *

_Kuroko Ibuki_

_Defendent_

_** YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED**__ to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer on the plaintiff's attorney within 20 days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service of this summons, or within 30 days after service of this summons is complete if this summons is not personally delivered to you within the Tokyo Prefacture._

_ In case of your failure to answer this summons, a judgement by default will be taken against you for the relief demanded in this complaint, together with the costs of this action._

_Dated: 0X-0X-20XX_

_Akashi Rin_

_Attorney for Akashi Seijuro_

_(03) – 0X2X3 - XX32_

* * *

Sorry for the "long" wait. The whole week I couldn't write because I'm training for my basketball championships. The phone number on the bottom is the typical Japan phone-number format, with Tokyo's area code (03).

This chapter was mostly the set-up for what will come next. I also wanted a break from angst and incorporate humor. Just a breather. I hope you enjoyed it!

As I've said in the last chapter, I will be replying to every single review to show my thanks. If you have not gotten a message back saying thanks, and you reviewed last chapter, tell me! Unfortunately, I can't reply to guests :(

Thank you, and please review :) Tell me of any typos or grammatical issues!

Thank you El Cierto for pointing out those mistakes!

~Virelei


	19. Chapter 19

**Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form**

**Chapter 19**

Kuroko crouched down, squeezed his eyes shut, and pressed the palms of his hands against his ears out of desperation. His knees pressed against his chest, the teal-head ducked his head down and flinched when another onslaught of violent knockings abused the outside of his door. Even with the plugging of his ears, Kuroko could still hear the loud, cursing voice through his room.

"Fucking brat!" the voice screeched. "Get your ass out here! I'll kill you!" More vicious knocks pounded against the door, followed by colorful words that would make a sailor feel ashamed. The doorknob rattled endlessly from her constant attempts. Kuroko only winced and tried to ignore her. "Let me in, Tetsuya! Damn it, where is the screwdriver? I swear, I'll kill you when I get to you!"

Kuroko Ibuki stood outside, livid, her teeth clenched while heavy breathing came through both her nose and mouth. Both of her hands were balled into fists, but in the left hand, a crumpled piece of paper was grasped tightly. _Court summons_ it read in crimpled, black font. _How dare that brat—how __**dare he**__ involve the court system into this? How dare he cause me trouble; he has nerves to ruin my public image. _

"Let me in!" she screamed and kicked hard at the door. Some of the paint chipped off from her heel.

The teal-haired teen only prayed for his father to come home, soon. He knew it was useless, though, since his father would be gone for most of the day. They hadn't planned for Ibuki to come home, however, because of the note she left this morning.

When another kick was aimed at his door, Kuroko scrambled up and dived for his phone. His shaky hands accidentally pressed the wrong number twice, but he finally was able to get his thumb to push down on '3'. Since it was speed-dial, the phone automatically started calling for the needed person.

"Tetsuya?" Never has Akashi's voice been so relieving to Kuroko.

"A-Akashi-kun," Kuroko said but flinched when Ibuki started another string of curses and hollers, along with more punches and kicks to his room.

Akashi heard it, even if the phone was not on speaker. "Is your mother dangerous right now, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko's free hand grasped the tiny fiber of his carpet, scared. "Hai," he choked out, but made sure his voice was loud enough to be heard over Ibuki's yelling and quiet enough so that his mother wouldn't know he was on the phone. "Otou-san is not home."

"You do have a closet in your room, do you not?" Akashi asked. "Go inside your closet."

"H-hai?"

"Inside your closet. Now."

With his blue eyebrows furrowed, Kuroko slowly stood up and stumbled toward his small closet, trying his best to ignore his mother's screams. He slid open the door, stuffed himself in, and closed it. Immediately, a black sheet of the night sky hung over his eyes. He couldn't see or hear anything but his mother's curses. This made the teal-haired teen even more agitated, as he could not see what was going on around him. He closed his eyes, but opened them after, since it made no difference.

"Why do you want me in the closet, Akashi-kun?" Kuroko shivered when he heard yet another attempt to unlock his door lock. He had barricaded the door with his chair right under the door knob, so that his mother would still not be able to turn the knob even if the door wasn't locked, but it still didn't make him feel safe.

"Close your eyes, Tetsuya," Akashi said, his voice low. "Lean your back against the wall. Take slow breaths."

Even through the phone, Kuroko obeyed Akashi and started to take slow, but deep breaths through his nose. His pounding heart was suddenly very loud to his ears.

"Do not listen to anyone or anything but me." His former captain's authoritative voice ran deep through Kuroko's mind. "Tetsuya, you will be obey me."

With his eyes still shut, he forced his tensed shoulders to relax and blocked out any distracting noises, including his mother. The only person he would listen to right now would be Akashi. "Hai," he breathed.

"You belong to me," Akashi said. "You do remember our unspoken promise from last time, do you not?"

Kuroko almost reddened at the thought of Akashi's and his last _several_ kisses from a week or less ago. Honestly, he, having no experience in the dating nor sexual field (except for that one date he agreed to go with Momoi in middle school), didn't know people could kiss in such a way in real life.

Again, he answered with a gentle 'yes'.

Akashi chuckled from the other end, and it made Kuroko delighted to hear a pleasant [only to him it was pleasant; to anybody else, it was their impending doom] sound, a great contrast to his mother's loud obceneties. "Good boy," the red-head remarked with his same soft, yet demanding voice. "My family seems to have—accepted you, Tetsuya."

"Akashi-kun's parents?"

"Yes. Though their choice of words were rather inappropriate." Kuroko furrowed his eyebrows, wondering what the Akashi family had said about him and Akashi. "Wait a few more days, Tetsuya." The teal-head relaxed even more at the tenderly heard statement. His eyes were still closed. "The court date has been set. Soon, you will be free."

"Free . . . with Akashi-kun?" Kuroko was hesitant to ask.

Akashi gave a small sound of amusement. "Yes, with me. With your father, and Shintarou and the others. More shall know of our relationship; however, they will only know to an extent. No one will know the taste of your lips." Kuroko ducked his head and fought the oncoming blush. "And soon, I will take you out properly, to a place where it is secluded; no one would find us."

An unknown warmth hugged Kuroko's shoulders, and he imagined Akashi next to him, his warm body heat pressed against his small frame, a pale arm wrapped around his shaking shoulders. The image managed to fully relax the teal-haired boy. He sunk deeper into his closet.

"That . . . sounds . . nice, Akashi-kun," Kuroko managed to murmur. His head bobbed, exhaustion taking over his body. The phone in his hand loosened.

Soon, true _comforting _darkness invaded his mind.

**~Setting Skip~**

"Tetsuya?" Akashi asked with one eyebrow raised. The only response he received was evened breathing. He shook his head and looked at his cellphone. "To fall asleep; how reckless."

"Who was that, Seijuro?" Rin strode up behind him and looked over to his phone, but Akashi had already closed it.

"It was Tetsuya," Akashi answered smoothly.

Suddenly, a teal-haired man shot up from the couch, his eyes wide with panic. "What? Is he all right? Is he hurt?"

Hayato put a hand over the man's shoulder to calm him down.

"Do not panic, Haru-san." Akashi turned to address the man. "Ibuki must have directed her anger and blame to Tetsuya. She was in one of her . . . moods." He walked over to the low table and grabbed his cup of tea. His hetero-colored eyes darkened at the mention of Kuroko's mother.

"Is he all right?" Haru repeated.

"He is fine. Tetsuya must have locked the door and blocked it with some sort of object. He is, as of right now, asleep in the closet."

". . . The closet?"

Akashi didn't answer.

"Heh, leave it to Akashi to order Tetsu to do dirty things," Aomine snickered. He was leaning against the wall with Kise, away from the crowd. He gave a smirk.

Akashi calmly turned to stare at the tanned teenager. "Daiki, your training menu was just tripled. I believe your captain is Imayoshi Shoichi, correct?"

Aomine swallowed hard and tried not to show his fear. "He would never increase my training menu. I wouldn't do it, anyways."

"He increased it last time at my request, and you did it at my order, did you not?" Akashi murmured darkly.

"That was because you threatened us!"

"Then I see no reason why I can't threaten you, again."

The statement came out so casually, so normally, it was as if Akashi was talking about the weather. Hayato watched, proud of his son, and quietly sipped his tea in amusement. Rin only shook her head.

Catherine, Haru's colleague, scooted closer to Kuroko's father. Something told her the red-head kid was crazy, and a person who should be avoided. Jun only cocked an eyebrow.

Everybody had come to Kyoto, invited to Akashi's parents' mansion-like house. Everybody, meaning the Generation of Miracles; Kuroko's father; Catherine, Jun, Hiroshi; Akashi; Akashi's parents; one trusted worker from each of the Ibuki-owned corporation; one lawyer that worked for Hayato; and Kagami. They all crowded into the huge family room. Most sat on the couches and chairs provided, while others stood for the courtesy of others. Akashi stood, but not out of courtesy, but because he felt in control when he was standing.

The only ones who were missing would be Kuroko himself, and the one they were trying to destroy: Ibuki.

"Everyone, please be silent."

At Hayato's request, everybody stopped talking and turned their attention to the Akashi family. Rin and Hayato were standing next to a couch with their son in between them. Now that they were side by side, most blinked at the resemblence between the three. Especially Hayato and Akashi, who both had red, short hair and strangely colored eyes.

Rin cleared her throat. "We've asked you to come here to discuss the plans of Kuroko Ibuki. Everybody should be well informed about it."

The crowd nodded. Some shivered at the name.

"Has everybody brought a copy of their evidence? Be it a written report, articles, recordings, or pictures; we need them. If you are simply a witness, you do not need anything but your statement." Hayato ran a hand through his red hair and watched more than half of the crowd's head bob up and down. He sighed, relieved. "We'll be breaking up into three groups, as there are too many of you to completely make the plan as a whole. We have already taken every one of you into account—to those who will show up at the trial—and have included you into the sequence of action. Please do know some of you will be in danger, and some of you will be forced to stand as a witness during the trial, be it for us or for the defendent's side.

Also, I will be making several copies of paper evidence-based, and I will be keeping the recording safe. As you may be in danger of Ibuki's radar, do not care for the damage Ibuki does to you from now on. All damage will be recovered once we win the trial. Any questions?"

No one dared to speak up.

"All right. You will either come with me, my wife, Rin, or my son, Seij—"

"Hold on," Catherine interrupted. All heads turned toward her. "You're letting your son into this, who's only sixteen? Isn't that dangerous? Speaking of which, why are teenagers here? Aren't you putting them all in danger?" She was addressing the Generation of Miracles and Kagami.

Midorima spoke up before Akashi could reply. The green-head fixed a cold stare at Haru's colleague. "Miss, I don't know you. However, we are more than capable to take care of ourselves. We are probably more capable than all of you," he looked through the crowd that made up of mostly adults. "Furthermore, Akashi is the one who will act as the persecutor during the trial. Do not underestimate us."

Akashi slightly raised one red eyebrow at the green-head. He was thoroughly impressed with his previous teammate's response. _I'll have to reward him, later._

"As Shintarou-kun has said, they can handle themselves," Hayato confirmed. "Now, on my side, where we will be dealing with witness statements, I need Catherine-san, Jun-san, Kagami-kun, Kintarou, Kagura and Atsushi-kun. We'll be discussing plans in my office."

The chosen people reluctantly followed the tall man out of the room. The two people from the Atari and the Rasa nervously casted down their eyes, frightened that they were just about to betray Kuroko Ibuki. Murasakibara, confused as to why he wasn't placed into Akashi's group, was most reluctant, but walked out anyway when he saw the expectant look on his former captain's face.

"Now then, I wll be dealing with the evidence. Hiroshi, Daiki, Yuki, and Haru. Come with me." The last person that worked for the Ibuki Corporation hesitantly stepped up and followed the red-head. Hiroshi easily followed suit, along with Haru. Aomine, pissed that he had to separate from Kise, only stomped off when Akashi threatened to quidruple his training menu.

"The rest, come with me," Akashi said shortly.

Midorima and Kise—the ones left in the Generation of Miracles—and the lawyer followed the red-haired teen to another room. "Akashicchi," Kise whined. "Why did you separate Aominecchi from me? Don't we have the same jobs?"

"Daiki holds the photos the two of you edited. He will present the evidence. You will only be the witness to confirm it." Akashi closed the door behind him. They were in a small office, one that was abandoned when Akashi moved out to his own apartment. "Stop complaining."

Kise glared at the floor. Honestly, he wanted to be a part of showing the evidence that would ultimately destroy Kuroko Ibuki.

"Seijuro-kun." The lawyer mentioned earlier stepped up and frowned severely. Akashi only looked up at him, irked at how the man looked down on his eyes. "I'd rather speak to Hayato-san about this matter. It'd be much more convenient if I were to be placed with Hayato-san."

"I am his son," Akashi said curtly. "What needs to be said to my father can be said to me. It will eventually look into my knowledge, eventually."

The lawyer only twitched his eye and shifted his weight.

"Enough stalling," Midorima pushed up his glasses with his middle fingers. "Akashi, what have you been hiding from us?"

The red-head gripped the folder he was holding in his right hand tighter. "Yes, I have been keeping you in the dark, haven't I?" He set the thick folder on his desk, opened it, and started to prod through the papers. "Since Ryouta and Daiki have been editing the photos, the two should know a part of what I have discovered."

Midorima glared at Kise. The blonde scratched his head. "Well, we've only kind of guessed. The details are still hazy."

"Reading this should help." Akashi pulled out three of the same packets. "I photo-copied all notes, discoveries, witnesses, and jobs onto these papers. The first and second page contains my notes, along with the summary. You should find out the secrets we have discovered of Ibuki. This is what we'll use to win the trial."

He handed the packets to each person in the room. The lawyer looked at it, bored, since he was already aware of Ibuki's secret and how they were going to attack them. He would not be part of the trial; only help set up the plan and the order of which evidence will be presented. Midorima and Kise, however, will be showing up at the trial.

"This is . . ." Midorima widened his eyes. He read the words over and over, processed the names through his mind, comparing all of his predictions to Akashi's notes; it all resulted in the same answer. "How could I not have seen this . . . it was right there in front of me."

Kise whispered the name slowly on his lips. He looked at the packet in disbelief. "It all connects. Everything; the answer makes sense." He stared at Akashi in awe. "Akashicchi, you're too smart . . ."

"It was by the help of everyone," Akashi replied. "But of course; I am always right, aren't I?" He was never one to be _very_ modest. "Now that you have been informed of the current situation," the red-head stared cooly into everybody's eyes, including the lawyer.

"Are you ready to bring down Ibuki?"

**~Setting Skip~**

Kuroko Ibuki yanked open the door to her office and stormed inside. Many widened their eyes at her behavior and scurried off. The teal-haired woman was beyond furious. Thousands of curses swam through her mind, aimed toward her son, the Akashi family, toward her husband, to the Generation of Miracles; to _anyone _who had defied her. They got in her way; they _interfered._

"Damn it!" she roared and grabbed her lamp on the desk to throw it at the wall. The light bulb smashed into many small, sharp glass pieces. Her anger still not spent, she snatched her name tag and threw it at the wall as well. "Aren't I supposed to be _feared_? The most powerful woman in Japan? Why don't they _fear _me?" Ibuki threw her chair.

The woman took deep, raspy breaths and struggled to compose herself. Her hands flexed, wanting so much to strangle her own son. "They want a fight," she hissed through her clenched teeth. "They'll get one."

She whipped out her phone from her pocket and quickly dialed a phone number. Ibuki put it to her ear with a smirk. "The Akashi family may be the best attorneys in Japan," she murmured. "But I have someone better."

"_Hello? Iba—I mean, Ibuki_?" The person who answered spoke in fluent English.

"_Liam_," Ibuki said, also in English. "_Do you remember that favor you owed me years ago?"_

_". . Yes_."

"_It's time for that favor. I . . . need you to fly over to Japan for a bit."_

**~Setting and Time Skip~**

"That hurts, Akashi-kun."A soft-spoken yet emotionless voice addressed the taller red-head. Kuroko grabbed the hands that were inflicting pain out of instinct. Akashi only raised his eyebrows; a look that made the teal-head let go of the other's hands. He went back to rebandaging Kuroko's body.

"I know it hurts," Akashi said. "It'll hurt more if you don't bandage it. Relax."

"Hai," came the immediate response. "Where are Aomine-kun and Kise-kun?"

Half of the group that would be participating in the trial were now at Akashi's complex. Haru had woken the teal-haired boy up early to drive all the way to Kyoto. They couldn't take the train, as it would be too full, and crowded spaces wouldn't do well with Kuroko's healing. The two had met up with Catherine, Jun, and Hiroshi, who were also ordered to come to Akashi's house. Murasakibara and Midorima came together, but both stayed outside since it was too stuffy in the apartment; the green-head right outside the door and Murasakibara inside the car, entertaining himself with snacks.

"Daiki and Ryouta are already on their way," the red-head answered. "Mother and Father are also on their way, along with Taiga."

Kuroko blinked, lifting up his arms when Akashi told him to. "Kagami-kun? You got him involved?" For some reason, that sparked a bit of anger in the teal-head's chest.

"He was being nosy," he said tersely. "He also has American connections. I had to make use of him."

"But—"

"Do not argue."

Kuroko pressed his lips together and didn't say anything further. He shivered a bit from the cold wind. All of them, his father, the colleagues, Akashi, and him, stood in the living room, getting last-minute preparations finished. The door was wide open, inviting cool air to come inside.

"Are you cold, Tetsu? Do you need me to close the door?" Haru stopped his endless pacing in the living room and walked over to his son worriedly. Despite his image of being composed, the man was actually sweating buckets, nervous and agitated. Many doubts had started to pop into his head. "Does it hurt?"

"He is fine, Haru-san. Do step back; you will make him feel nervous." Akashi stood from where he was kneeling, finished with his bandaging.

"R-right. I apologize."

"Wear this, Tetsuya." The red-haired teen grabbed a new, black dress-shirt and held it behind Kuroko. It was completely new, having bought it yesterday. Haru had went with him to help pick out the right size and shirt for the small teen.

Kuroko obedientally slid his arms through the sleeves. However, he was upset that Akashi had spent money on such a useless thing. He didn't dare complain, though.

"Turn around."

Kuroko did.

Akashi started to button his shirt, starting from the top. His cold fingers brushed against Kuroko's chest and continued to brush against his body as Akashi worked his way down. The teen fought a blush and bit his lip to stay calm in front of his father. The red-head smirked, aware of Kuroko's reaction. "Now for the tie." He grabbed a striped tie and tied it neatly around his partner's neck. This time, Akashi's fingers brushed against his chin.

"Akashi-kun," Kuroko started, but silenced by when he saw Akashi's expression.

"You're ready, now," the taller teen said quietly, running a hand through the teal-locks to smoothen down the wild hairs. "Physically. Are you ready, mentally?"

"Hai," Kuroko nodded. "As long as Akashi-kun and everybody else is there."

"Of course." Haru bent down to press a kiss on Kuroko's cheeks. "You won't meet that woman alone."

The Akashi teen stretched his neck before grabbing the thick folder on the table. "It is time. Is everybody ready?" He received nods. "Let us go. Tetsuya, you will be riding with me."

Everybody agreed with the arrangements and started to head out the door. Kuroko clutched tightly onto his father's jacket while Akashi put one hand on his back to urge him forward. Midorima greeted them out front, his own thick folder in his hands.

Kuroko looked up to the blinding light at the sky and took a deep breath.

_Here we go, Okaa-san._

* * *

Like I said on my profile, it would take a week to update! And it's been exactly a week :) Basketball practices have been brutal, and exams are hitting me hard! Pre-calculus is so much fun, huh?

Anyway, the story is wrapping up now :) I'm guessing around 6 more or less chapters. Please point out mistakes! I got many NEW reviewers and new PM's that made me seriously cry out of happiness xD Thank you for being so faithful!

Meww Guest Review: Your corrections were incorrect :) When someone is talking with two big paragraphs, you simply start a new paragraph and not put another set of quotation marks until the end.

~Virelei


	20. Chapter 20

**Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form**

**Chapter 20**

Kuroko felt his muscles tense when the car turned into the Tokyo Prefacture Court building. A tall and wide building stretched out before his eyes through the window, and he found himself clutching the car seat, his nails digging into the leather. Akashi noticed, however, and gently removed his hands and placed it into his lap. Kuroko didn't protest.

After a few minutes of driving around to find parking, Akashi's driver finally drove the car into a small, secluded place. The car door opened; Akashi out first, Kuroko second. Haru parked not too far from them, and he came jogging over to Kuroko, along with his colleagues. Murasakibara and Midorima followed up behind.

"Kuro-chin," Murasakibara dug into his jean pockets and pulled out a chocolate bar. He handed it out to Kuroko. "Here. Aka-chin said you didn't have breakfast."

Kuroko blinked at the purple-head's kind gesture, even if a chocolate bar was unhealthy for breakfast. "Thank you, Murasakibara-kun." He took it.

Midorima coughed and pushed up his glasses before awkwardly walking before the teal-head. "I also brought you your lucky item, since you obviously don't follow Oha-Asa's daily fortune." His bandaged hand held out an ice cream key chain. Kuroko thanked him fervently and took it.

Haru came close to his son and pulled him into a small one-armed hug. "Are you all right?"

"I am fine, Otou-san." The lie came out easily.

"You finally arrived, Seijuro." A woman's voice had all of them turning. Rin, Hayato, Kagami, Kise, and Aomine were walking quickly their way, faces grim but ready. Aomine and Kise were in their formal suits, while Rin and Hayato were in their standard attorney outfit. Akashi was dressed similarily as his father.

"The ride from Kyoto was long," Akashi said. "Have you made the copies?"

"Aside from the copies you've made from the other day, yes. I have another two of each; one for the police and the other for the jury," Rin clutched her briefcase tighter, as if the evidence in it would disappear if she held it too loose.

Hayato frowned. "Are you sure you want your mother to be your attorney?. . . I could fulfill the role just as well." There was a hint of jealousy.

"Stop being a brat, Hayato," Rin scoffed. "Of course Seijuro would pick me. I did raise him after all."

"It is nothing against you, Father," Akashi cut in. "I only picked Mother because she is more aggressive in court."

"And I am not?"

The red-head teen only sighed and straightened his outfit. "Mother is more of a match to deal with Ibuki. That is all."

Kagami scowled at how out of place he felt and focused his attention toward Kuroko. "Oi, Kuroko. You all right? You look pale."

"Thank you, but I am all right." Kuroko wondered if he did really look paler than usual. "However, Kagami-kun, you shouldn't be involved with this."

The red-head snorted. "Don't give me that crap, Kuroko. You're just lucky Seirin doesn't know about this."

"And they will not know about it," Akashi indirectly threatened.

"Kurokocchi~!" Kise bounded over and hugged the smaller teen fiercely. Kuroko cringed. "The ride here was awful, Kurokocchi! Aominecchi was being all mean, and he didn't let me sit up front! Even when I called it! Isn't that unfair? Neh, isn't it? Aren't you supposed to be able to sit in shotgun if you called it? But Aominecchi said that since he was taller than me, he would sit up front! He's only taller by three centimeters! That's cheating right? Right? I mean—"

Kise's blabber stopped suddenly. In fact, all small chatter among the large group silenced. Kuroko, confused as to why it got silent, struggled out of Kise's arms and turned to where everybody stared. Once he did, Kuroko also went still and silent.

A black, long limo turned slowly into the Tokyo Court parking, the passenger windows tinted all the way, so no one could see who sat in the back. It made a slow right to the front of the building until it stopped, and the engines were cut. When an unfamiliar driver stepped out, Akashi immediately got closer to Kuroko, his eyes narrowed.

Akashi's actions were not in vain. When the driver came around and opened the passenger door, a familiar, dreaded person stepped out. At the sight of the person, Kuroko shrank back into Akashi's arms. The red-head held him reflexively and pushed him closer to his body. Haru put a protective hand on his shoulder. Aomine and Kise hovered just behind Akashi and Kuroko, while Murasakibara and Midorima stepped to the front but at the sides of the couple. Kagami stepped closer to Midorima. Catherine, Jun, and Hiroshi scattered nervously. Hayato and Rin only tensed.

Kuroko Ibuki stood straight and tall, her long, teal-colored hair pulled back into a tight pony-tail. She wore the standard gray pencil skirt, along with a buttoned vest jacket and expensive jewelry There was a purse dangling from her left arm, and she carried some papers in her right hand. Ibuki turned a little and talked to someone unknown, and after, a blonde man stepped out of the car.

Soon, the two were walking toward Kuroko's way, still oblivious to the large group's stares. Ibuki strode with wide, demanding strides, her face ticked and annoyed. Her heels clacked loudly against the pavement. Kuroko flinched and lowered his head. His hands started to shake.

_"You tell anyone about this, I'll break every one of your bones and leave you out to rot in your own blood."_

_"Fucking wimp, stand up! You almost told to your precious little friends, didn't you? Do you want me to hurt them? You're useless!"_

_"Okaa-san . . . don't . . ."_

_"I'll send you to the hospital, freak!"_

Kuroko brought his head down even lower and covered his ears with his hands. Akashi, aware of his behavior, discreetly squeezed Kuroko into his body and gave him a chaste kiss to the head. Since everybody's attention was on Ibuki, nobody noticed. "Calm down now, Tetsuya." It was demanding yet comforting order.

The teal-head focused on Akashi's voice to distract himself of Ibuki's screams. Ibuki had done much damage to the small teen, so the reaction was to be expected at this time. Haru pressed his lips together and casted down his eyes.

Ibuki finally felt the penetrating glares aimed toward her. She kept walking, but turned to glance at her 'audience'. When she did, her sour face turned into a full-on glare. Her glare wasn't to their general area. It was pointed straight at Kuroko, who didn't dare look up to her eyes. The woman spat in their direction and kept walking, tersely commanding the blonde male to follow her.

The man did. Hayato frowned as the blonde passed them, a familiar feeling setting upon him, but he didn't know what. _That man . . . _Hayato scratched his head.

The two left the air tense around them. Kagami was the first to break it.

"Stupid woman," the tall red-head grunted. "Doesn't she know she looks ugly with that glare on?"

"Wouldn't be talking, Bakagami," Aomine grumbled.

"What'd you say, Ahomine?" Kagami demanded but let it go when the tanned teen deliberately ignored him. "Don't let it get to you, Kuroko. She's someone we can beat. Oi, you listening?"

Kuroko didn't answer.

Rin straightened her back. She pushed through the crowd of teenagers before standing right in front of the shrunk teenager. "Tetsuya-kun." Rin rarely put honorifics on people's names. She put her hands on his shoulders. Kuroko slowly looked up into her eyes. "I am the best lawyer in Japan, and there's a reason why I am called the best. Tell me, Tetsuya-kun, do you trust Seijuro?"

The teal-haired teen slowly nodded.

"Then you must trust me. And trust that we," she looked seriously into his eyes. "_will_ win."

**~Setting Skip~**

"All stand!"

The crowd scrambled from their seats and quickly stood straight for the incoming judge.

"Bow!"

The huge crowd bowed to the entering judge. The judge raised an eyebrow at the audience as he walked up to the front and center of the court. "Big crowd we have today," he murmured.

And for good reason. Kuroko Ibuki, most powerful woman in Japan, the most mysterious yet famous person that owned three large corporations and had great influence over everything, was actually being charged for something. They wanted to know who dared defied the 'Great Ibuki', and how she would fight. 'They' meaning as the ones who knew her as Ibuki. The people who knew her (or him, for others) as Akihiko or Abe Miku didn't come.

Some people in the crowd were shocked Kuroko Ibuki was a woman.

"Sit!"

Everybody sat down, again, except for the prosecutors, the defendents, and the victim. Akashi and Rin stood confidently in front of the judge to the left. Rin's briefcase was set on the desk in front of them, already unlocked for use. Akashi looked coolly forward, his hetero-colored eyes full of determination and confidence.

Kuroko Ibuki stood on the other side, to their right. Instead of looking confident or smug, she looked annoyed and angry. Her eyebrows were scrunched, her left eye was twitching, and her hands were flexing. She now felt more pressure as she didn't expect that that much people would come to see her court trial. The man next to her only ran a hand through his golden locks and flashed a bright smile to the judge, his briefcase also unlocked on the desk in front of them. The judge only raised an eyebrow.

Kuroko sat off to the side as a victim. The teen was now even more nervous than before, his head ducked and his shoulders dropped. Akashi was further away from him than Ibuki was, and that made him feel unsafe. However, his father and the other witnesses were not too far from him, so it eased some of the tension off his shoulders.

Hayato narrowed his orange-like eyes at the literally sparkling blonde. _He looks extremely familiar . . . _It clicked. The usually composed man widened his eyes and put one firm hand on Haru's shoulder. Kuroko's father jumped in surprise and turned to cast a questioningly look at the other father. Hayato spoke in a low but hissed voice, "That man, next to Ibuki. I—no, Rin and I—know him. He used to be a lawyer prodigy at the age of nineteen in law school. He went to America after to study both Japanese and American law. Haru-san . . . he's a dangerous one. Liam Wiltz, an extremely successful lawyer known in America, also known to have the most guiltiest murderers innocent. And now, somehow, Ibuki had him come to Japan." Hayato took a shuddering breath. "If he hadn't gone to America, he probably would have taken our position and become the best in Japan."

At the news, Haru's bouncing, nervous leg stopped. His eyebrows inched up. He closed his hands tightly into fists and swallowed hard. _I knew it, _Haru panicked, _I knew we should not have done this. I knew she would have gotten the best connections to a lawyer. That man will probably deem Tetsuya mentally ill and then—_The father didn't even want to think what would happen next. He darted his nervous eyes over toward Akashi. _Please, Akashi-kun, Rin-san. Don't lose to him._

The judge waited for all to be quiet before clearing his throat loudly. He was wearing the traditional Japanese judge outfit. "Good morning. Calling the People of the Tokyo Prefacture, Japan versus Kuroko Ibuki. Are both sides ready?" The crowd shifted as the trial began.

Rin, having done this for more than ten years, ran a hand through her red hair and said without emotion, "Ready for the People, Your Honor." Akashi, having never been a prosecutor in a court trial, simply raised his eyebrows and tapped his fingers against the desk.

"Ready for the defense, Your Honor," Liam chirped and grinned. He put one hand onto his briefcase and gave Ibuki a reassuring look. Kagami almost gagged at the sight.

The judge nodded and went through protocol: "The next thing in a court trial is an opening statement. The public prosecutors will go first, and the public defenders goes next. Will the public prosecutor stand and present their case to the jury?"

This was Akashi's signal. His mother had rehearsed with him many of the different court parts and told him when it would be his turn to talk. With his abnormal memory, the red-head was able to remember every single thing he was supposed to say in order.

Akashi straightened and turned his body toward the jury. His cool, hetero-like eyes had some of the jury members shrink back. "Your Honor and ladies and gentlemen of the jury," Akashi's composed voice echoed throughout the silent court.

Kuroko, who was trying his hardest to get in control, relaxed at the sound of him. Hayato watched, proud at how calm and collected his son was in court. Any teen at Akashi's age would be stuttering and ridiculously nervous to be a prosecutor. However, _his_ son, was no ordinary teenager. _Well, he was raised by a demonic woman, _Hayato thought wryly.

"The defendant has been charged of child abuse to the victim of Kuroko Tetsuya, both mental and physical abuse," Akashi continued his statement to the jury, but flicked his eyes to check on Kuroko. The small teen didn't seem to be shaking or panicking. "The evidence will show the defendant has been abusing the victim for the amount of thirteen years. The victim is now sixteen. Multiple wounds have been repeatedly shown on the victim's body. Along with multiple charges, the evidence I will present will prove the defendant is guilty as charged."

The audience's murmurs got louder at each word Akashi stated. Obviously, they were shocked Ibuki was being charged for abuse. The judge glared at them and requested order to the court.

Meanwhile, Ibuki frowned severely at the word choice the red-head had used. _Multiple charges? The court summons read one charge. _Liam, though, was not affected. Once Akashi stepped back, the blonde immediately went into action:

"Your Honor and ladies and gentleman of the jury: under the law, my client is presumed innocent until proven guilty. During this trial, you will hear or see no _real _evidence against my client. You will come to know the truth: that Kuroko Ibuki, _mother_ of Kuroko Tetsuya, was simply being the supporting mother of a mentally ill child—" Haru widened his eyes and restrained himself from hurting the blonde man for calling his son _mentally ill_. Akashi, similarily, looked like he wanted to murder Liam. "and has been wrongfully accused of abuse. The 'victim' as you put has been abused of someone else. Therefore, my client is not guilty."

The lines were obviously rehearsed, and while everybody on Kuroko's side expected Ibuki's excuse for defense, it still made their blood boil. Murasakibara, who sat right next to Hayato, glowered at the woman and angrily ripped a gummy bear in half. Aomine had to smack his head to put the candy away. The rest of the Generation of Miracles were carefully observing Kuroko, seeing if there would be an oncoming panic attack. However, Kuroko simply sat still in his seat with his head bowed.

"The prosecution may now present their case and evidence."

Akashi stepped up as Liam stepped down. Even when all eyes were trained intensely on him, Akashi's mask didn't waver. He stood aloof with a trained gaze toward the jury. One of the members gulped. A slight smirk appeared on the teen's face. "Ladies and gentleman of the jury," Akashi tilted his head slightly and narrowed his eyes. "Today, the defendant has been charged of physical and mental abuse to the victim of Kuroko Tetsuya. Kuroko Ibuki, supposed mother of the victim, initiated the abuse when the victim was of age three. This has been continual abuse for thirteen years. On the date of 0X-XX-20XX, the victim sheltered in my own home in order to recover. The evidence will show the defendant is guilty."

"Do you have any exhibits that could be admitted as evidence against the defendant?" The judge asked formally.

"Your Honor, I have many exhibits that will be admitted as evidence. However, the prosecution calls the victim." Akashi eyed his partner.

At that sentence, Kuroko's breathing stopped. This was his signal; it was his time. He struggled to lift his head up, but his body was frozen. _This is for Akashi-kun's and my sake, _he reminded himself. _I can at least do this. _It was only when the bailiff's hand gently gripped his arm that he was able to move. Rather, his body moved on its own as it flinched instinctively at the new hand. The bailiff gave him a concerned look, but Kuroko only shook his head and stood up on his own. His legs almost gave out under him, but Kuroko stayed firm when he met Akashi's gaze. The stern, red-and-yellow eyes held up the small teen's body.

Once the bailiff guided him to the witness stand, the clerk asked him for his first and last name. Kuroko dutifully told him and spelled his last name. When he was done with the formalities, Akashi was allowed to question him.

"Kuroko Tetsuya," Akashi softly announced. Kuroko shivered at the way the red-head pronounced his name and kept his blue eyes trained on Akashi, avoiding direct contact from his mother. He could literally feel Ibuki's death glare on him, and he knew once he looked at her face, Kuroko wouldn't be able to speak or move. "Legal son of Kuroko Ibuki. Is it true you are physically abused by Kuroko Ibuki on an almost daily basis?"

Kuroko swallowed, his nerves still as he felt all eyes on him. His mind was whirling, and he was starting to feel sick. "Yes," he choked out.

The crowd gasped and the murmurs started again. Ibuki's face went red. She slammed her palm against the desk. "He's lying!" she screamed. "He's delusional! Ill! Anything he says is a lie!" Hearing the shout, Kuroko's head shot up. It was a mistake, because Kuroko met Ibuki's furious glare. Suddenly, the pale fingers that were nervously tapping against his leg stopped in mid-movement. Kuroko's eyes went completely blank, and his skin seemed even paler than before. His parted lips stayed parted.

"Order! Order in the court," the judge commanded. It quieted down some, and the judge fixed a stare at Liam. "Control your defendant. It is not he defendant's right yet to interfere." The attorney nodded and whispered something to Ibuki.

_A burning punch connected to his cheek. Kuroko stumbled back, the glass table digging into his hip when he couldn't regain his balance. His hands covered his bruised cheek. Not a second later, a brutal kick came to his ribs. The glass now stabbed into his back, and the small teen tumbled onto the table._

_"Work pissed me off today," Ibuki growled. "Seeing you pisses me off even more." A large hand gripped around Kuroko's throat, effectively cutting off his oxygen. He choked and clawed at the hand, but Ibuki only tightened her hold and threw him toward the wall. _

_Kuroko's head slammed into the wall. His arms flailed to grab something, but only knocked down a glass case. It broke into many pieces. "Look what you did!" she screeched. "My favorite vase! Damn kid!" She rushed over to stomp hard on Kuroko's leg. The teen screamed as he felt the bone crushing under her shoe. "How dare you make a mess in my house? How dare you?" Ibuki grabbed a piece of the broken vase pieces. "You're ruining my life!" Anger clouded her mind. No coherant thoughts were allowed in her head. Without thinking, she dived the piece down, intending to stab her own son._

_Kuroko, sensing his life in danger, gathered his strength to raise his arms and grabbed Ibuki's incoming hand. The sharp marble cut into his skin, and he winced, trying to beat his mother's crushing force. Red fluid ran down his arm. "O-Okaa-san," he croaked. _

_The woman stared at her pathetic son in disgust. She wrenched her arm out of his hold, cutting deep into Kuroko's palm. The pressure on his sure-to-be-broken leg was lifted. Kuroko sighed a breath of relief and closed his eyes, praying for the worst to be done. Ibuki, on the other hand, only spat onto his face and leaned down close. "You listen, boy," she hissed. "You tell anybody about this, _I'll kill you_. Do you hear me? _I'll kill you_." _

The teal-head's breathing came out hard. Unconciously, Kuroko started to rub his palm where the marble piece had once sliced. It wasn't as obvious he was having a panic attack in the audience, but up close, Akashi could tell. He turned while the judge was still trying to get the court in order. "Tetsuya." The way he said his name made the poor teen raise his head. "You will stay calm for this."

It wasn't a request. It was an order.

Kuroko casted his eyes at the witness stand desk. His fingers resumed tapping. The parted lips closed. His skin started to flush. And slowly, his breathing returned to normal. Akashi had managed to pull him out of the past.

"You may continue," the judge said once everybody settled, again.

Akashi nodded ever so slightly. "When did the abuse start?"

"When I was three; almost four," came the quiet response.

"The abuse has continued all the way until now?"

"Yes."

"Do you see the abuser in this court room?"

Kuroko swallowed. Akashi had told him beforehand he would be asking this question. "Y-yes. The records will show the victim sees the defendant as the abuser." He said it formally, just like the red-head had told him to.

"Have you ever needed to go to the hospital and be treated?"

"Some of the injuries I endured; I should have gone to the hospital," he breathed. "But Okaa-san didn't want me to. My father has mostly treated my wounds in the past."

Some person in the crowd muttered, "What a cruel mother."

"Are you willing to show us your past wounds?"

This was the part Kuroko most dreaded. While Akashi said he could refuse into showing his wounds publically, the teal-head knew it'd make a bigger impact to show it now. He played with his fingers. "Hai," he said softly.

The judge furrowed his eyebrows. "Does the defendant have any objections?"

Liam answered, "We do not, Your Honor."

"Very well. Proceed in showing."

Shaky, slender hands reached up to the first button of his dress shirt. Kuroko unbuttoned the first, then the second, then the third. It was a long process, but soon, the shirt was completely unbuttoned. He took it off completely.

Loud gasps spread throughout the room. Haru covered his face, not wanting to see the wounds his son bared alone. Hayato grimaced at the scene. Midorima put his lucky item in a death grip. Akashi stayed emotionless on the outside, and suppressed the feeling to hurt the woman who inflicted pain on Kuroko. Ibuki only fumed silently.

White bandages wrapped all around Kuroko's torso and chest. The cold air bit his extremely pale skin. Yellow-ish healing bruises covered part of Kuroko's neck, shoulders, and from underneath the bandages, chest and stomach. The bruises were ugly looking, and some members of the audience had to advert their eyes.

But that wasn't the worst part. The bruises and bandages were mild; everyday injuries for Kuroko. The scars however . . . The teal-head gutted down his fear and hesitance to gradually turn to show his back. Once he did, _many_ more people sucked in their breath at the image. Kise had to dig his face into Aomine's arms so he wouldn't have to face the terrible wounds. Haru, knowing what they were seeing, didn't dare look up to his son.

Ugly, big scars ran from underneath the bandages and curled right up to both of Kuroko's shoulders and neck. They were ragged, deep, and looked unhealed. There were ten lines in all, five rugged looking lines running up to his right shoulder, and the others to his left. The scars, it seemed, weren't properly healed, as the skin was still 'torn-looking' and an abhorent pink. Some lines were bigger than others, and none of them were pretty.

The scars had come from the time Ibuki had been publically embarrassed at a grocery store. She went home in a fit of rage, and crashed into the seven year-old Kuroko's room. Right there and then, the woman blamed him for her embarrassment and took out her anger. Haru hadn't been home at that time (something his father deeply regretted), so Ibuki had taken advantage of it. Before she had realized what she was doing, her long, sharp nails dug into Kuroko's back and dragged all the way up to his shoulders. The seven year old had passed out screaming. Afer that incident, Ibuki didn't make contact with Kuroko for a week.

What was left of the memory were old, permanent scars—physically and mentally.

The crowd's mood changed abruptly. It distorted from shock to pity. Chatter among the people's could clearly be heard:

"Poor boy . . . "

"Oh, that child; he's in pain."

"How dare that mother . . ."

"Someone cover him up!"

Kuroko was startled at the change of moods, until he realized it himself:

He was crying.

Tears slid down his cheeks at a furious pace. They dropped down onto his trembling hands, some slipping between his fingers to escape to the floor. Kuroko touched one of his tears, bewildered at how he was crying without him knowing it. The thought made the tears flowing more, though, and he soon found himself unable to control it. They kept coming, no matter how much he wiped them. Finally, he gave up. The teen pressed his hands against his eyes . . . and cried silently. His shoulders shook, along with his legs that looked like they would give out under him.

The stress, anxiety, and fear finally took over.

Ibuki could only watch in disgust. Haru had stood up and tried to rush over to Kuroko as soon as he saw the tears, but police officers held him back. The father could only stare helplessly as his son cried.

The judge noticed. He frowned at the wounded teen. "Order! Order in the court! Defendants, do you have any questions?"

Liam, whom had been smiling up until now, stared at the scars inflicted by Ibuki. "No . . . Your Honor. No further questions."

"Prosecutors; the victim is finished and excused."

Akashi picked up the cloth of silk and started to calmly help the distressed teen into his shirt again. He didn't say anything to Kuroko nor try to wipe the tears. For now, getting Kuroko dressed was his priority. When both arms were through the sleeves, Akashi swiftly buttoned it from top to bottom.

"Aka-Akashi-kun," Kuroko croaked through his tears. "I'm sorr—"

The apology was interrupted by a hug. Kuroko's face was now muffled against Akashi's own shoulder. The red-head didn't seem to care if his tears stained his clothing. A hand came up to his teal locks. "Quiet," Akashi gently demanded. "You did well. Very well."

Kuroko reflexively put his arms around his former captain as well. "I am sor—"

Again, it was interrupted. "Tetsuya," he said sternly. "You did well. There is no room for an apology."

". . . Hai."

The bailiff helped Kuroko back to his seat while Akashi dusted off his shoulders and returned to his spot. The judge cleared his throat. Never had he been in such an intense court trial. "The defenders may now present their case and evidence."

Liam stepped up. After Akashi's impacting evidence, he would have to work hard to defend Ibuki. _It's no doubt Ibuki is really the abuser, _the blonde thought wryly, _But since I'm a lawyer and she's paying me. . . _

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury," he announced. "The charges against my client states physical and mental abuse to a child of sixteen years. The victim has recognized my client as the abuser. However, the defense claims the victim is mentally ill. The victim cannot separate truth from lie. In addition," Liam paused. "The prosecution has indirectly told us my client inflicted those scars on the victim's back. So we are to assume my client is the cause without evidence? The victim has admitted he has never been to the hospital! So how do they know my client is the abuser?"

The American swept his eyes over the jury. "The defense calls Akashi Seijuro."

Akashi's right eyebrow raised. It was extremely rare for the prosecutor to be a witness. Nevertheless, the red-head stood confident while the bailiff led him over to the witness stand.

"Akashi Seijuro, the son of the largest law industry in Japan, correct?" Liam asked formally.

He stared into Liam's blue eyes. "Yes."

"How long have you known Kuroko Tetsuya?"

"Five years."

Liam nodded. "What was your relation to the victim during your middle school years?"

The red-head knew exactly what the American was doing. It didn't matter, though, since Akashi had planned for this, already. "I was his captain in the first string of Teiko Middle School's basketball team."

"Many students have said many things during your middle school years. Some say you kept your team under constant threats. Did this result into violent behavior?"

Akashi didn't waver. "I treated the team members of the club fairly. I have only used physical exercise to train them and for consequences."

_And then some, _Aomine grumbled in his head. _I still remember that time you made me wear that dress because I said you looked weak . . . _

Liam, ticked that the red-head didn't answer his question, pressed, "There were rumors about violent threats coming from you. Is this true?"

"I would never physically hurt a team member other than training. Tetsuya has never been hurt by my hands."

The blonde squinted. "You did not answer my question. I also did not say anything about the victim."

Akashi threw him an icy stare. His eyes showed intelligence. "I answered it; whether to answer indirectly or not is another matter, as you have not made matters clear. If I hurt Tetsuya or not, it was implied with the questions."

Rin faked to wipe a tear from her eye. Never had she been so proud of her son. _If only I could take him out of the Shogi career and have him take over our company . . . _

Liam had to put a hand over his face to compose himself. A bright, fake smile appeared on his face after he removed his hand, and he cracked his right knuckles eagerly. "I have no further questions, Your Honor."

"Very well. The witness is excused."

The bailiff helped Akashi back to his spot. Liam finished his speech of, "The prosecution is falsely assuming my client is the abuser. There is no real evidence." He stepped down.

It was now Rin's turn. She turned to face the jury. "The defense has now finished their statements. We the prosecutors are charging Kuroko Ibuki of physical and mental abuse. The defendant denies of ever hurting the victim to the point of abuse, and claims innocent because the victim is mentally ill. However, if the victim was mentally ill, why is he not getting help? Why is he not in a hospital? Why has he never _been_ in a hospital? And most importantly, why is the victim not enlisted as mentally ill? Has he received therapy for it?" She paused to let the information sink in. "From the witness session with him, you can see he has no difficulties in speaking or moving. In what way is he mentally ill?"

Ibuki gritted her teeth and clenched her hands. _Nothing less of Akashi Rin._

"The defendants say there are no real evidence to even assume Kuroko Ibuki is an abuser. However, I have many exhibits that tells us so. Your Honor, I have past abuse records of the client I would like you to admit as evidence. The records show numerous charges of public abuse against her."

Liam slammed his hand against the table. "Objection; those are extremely personal records that an attorney cannot access. The Defense has not been warned of this."

"Objection overruled. The prosecutors have an exhibit to be checked."

The blonde clenched his teeth.

Records of Ibuki were passed onto the police officer which were passed to the judge. He examined them. "Exhibit #1 has been admitted as evidence." Rin smirked. The records were passed to clerk, who put an official sticker on them.

"The records also show the client has moved numerous of times right after the charge of abuse. There is too much suspicious movement to simply announce it as a coincidence. I'd like for the jury to acknowledge this."

The judge waited until Rin finished until speaking, "The defendant may now present their second case of evidence."

"The Defense calls the secretary of Ibuki Corporation."

A bailiff walked a man to the witness stand. The clerk recorded his first and last name.

"Where do you work, Kio-san?" Liam walked up to the stand and gave him a kind smile.

The man looked around nervously and licked his lips when his gaze caught Ibuki's. "A-at Ibuki Corporation, owned by Kuroko Ibuki, in Tokyo."

"What is your job?"

"I-I take care of K-Kuroko-san's paperwork and organize files on the main computer."

"Tell me, Kio-san, did you happen to see multiple attempts to access a private record?"

"Hai," the man swallowed. "There were many attempts to access Kuroko-san's records. It was only able to get half of its information."

Liam flicked his eyes to the jury to see if they were listening. "What would you call this, Kio-san?"

"I-I'd call it hacking."

"Do you know who tried to hack into the records?"

The secretary tried to remember the initials. "I think we ended up with a line of AKH. Many of us thinks it stands for Akashi Hayato." Hayato tensed. _Damn, my line was supposed to be private and secured. _

"So, an attorney tried to hack into the records. Were they allowed to?"

"N-no, I don't think so. A l-lawyer is not allowed to access any files of a person's until it was officially made a case."

"When did the record hacked?"

"A few weeks ago. Before the case was official."

Liam smirked. If he couldn't completely deny Ibuki was an abuser, the jury had to recognize Akashi Rin and Akashi Hayato did illegal moves in order to get evidence. "I have no further questions, Your Honor." The secretary breathed a sigh of relief.

"Very well. Does the prosecution have any questions?"

Rin spoke through her clenched teeth, "We do not, Your Honor."

"The witness is excused."

Right after the secretary left, Liam called for another witness: "The Defense calls for Sui Aiko." A woman police officer was brought up to the stand. Rin immediately recognized her. "Aiko-san, what is your relationship with Akashi Rin?"

"We are friends," she said. "Close friends."

"Close? And, Officer, have you ever used your status to your advantage to become . . . close to Akashi Rin?" The officer widened her eyes. Liam pressed on, "such as, telling her the routes to my client's records?"

She pressed her lips together. " . . . Yes, I admit it. I have told her multiple ways to access a file."

Liam shot up his eyebrows, as if he were surprised. "I see. No further questions, Your Honor."

"Does the prosecution have any questions?"

"Yes, Your Honor." Rin walked right up to the witness stand. "Officer, did the police department give me, Akashi Rin, permission to handle files you have lent me?"

Aiko blinked. "Yes."

"Does you, who is part of the local police department, giving me the way to access a lent file count as permission?"

"I guess . . . in a way."

"No further questions."

The officer was excused. She also looked extremely relieved. Anybody would if they had to be a witness in front of the best lawyer in Japan and the most powerful woman in Japan.

Akashi was now up to speak. Rin had fully opened her briefcase to hand her son the evidence. They were now going to present the second and third piece of evidence. He walked up front. "Your Honor, I have several pictures and a tape recording that would need to be admitted as evidence. I request the tape recording to be heard for the public. However, I'd like to have a closed hearing with the picture exhibits."

Almost everybody knew Akashi didn't 'request' things. He directly or indirectly demanded it. Akashi's _always_ got their way in the end.

The judge nodded, and one of the officers handed the evidence to him. He skimmed through the pictures and paled at the scene. It was too graphic for the public, so the judge could see why Akashi had wanted it to be private. He even had to hand it to the clerk early so he wouldn't have to look at it anymore. "The three pictures have been admitted as evidence. This is Exhibit #2."

Ibuki went red. She didn't know what was the content on the pictures, but it obviously wasn't good. "The photos could be photoshopped!" she yelled out of turn. "What kind of judge are you? The pictures might be fake! It can't be used as evidence."

"This is your last warning. Keep your defendant under control," he warned. Liam covered his face with his hands. "Officer, please play the tape recorder."

The tape was pushed into the system, and the volume was turned up a bit so that everybody could hear. People leaned in, curious as to what the prosecution had to show. What they heard was unexpected; Ibuki's loud voice blared and bounced off the court room's walls:

"_I don't hurt him. I train him."_

_"What do you mean by that? Train him? He's not a dog." _Rin's voice.

_"I wanted a successor. I wanted one. I've built my whole life from the bottom, and here I am, the most untouchable woman in Japan with three of the biggest corporations. I'm rich, I'm powerful, and I'm feared! It's more than what I could want, some would think. But, I want more._ _I want my name to be carried on. Everyone must know of my name—no, not my name. My existence. The only way for that is to have a successor. It's the only reason why I married to Haru! To get a child; to get a child that would listen to me."_

Haru brought a shaky hand over his mouth at the words. Ibuki was still from shock. She didn't know Hayato had been recording at that time.

_"It backfired though. That kid I gave birth to turned out to be just like his father. He's soft, he has disgusting morals, he disobeys me. And just like I've said to _them,_ he mocks me."_

Kuroko, no longer wanting to hear the harsh words, covered his ears and put his head to his knees. He closed his eyes to stop the threatening tears.

_"The way he looks at me with those blank eyes tells me he doesn't take me seriously. I can't get anything from him. So the only way for him to listen; to obey; to fear me, is to break him."_

"_Break . . . him_?" This was Aomine's voice.

_"A person who is broken will only listen to the person that succeeded in breaking him. Day by day, I see him break a bit more. He's been fearing me, lying to everyone but me. Oh, it's been wonderful; truly wonderful. But you—you messed up everything. Healing and healing him; it's useless! The more you do, the more I will try harder in breaking him. He is mine, and he will be my successor. He will be nothing more than my creation, and _you can't stop me!" The last part was screeched, so the volume had to be turned down when the audience cringed at the shrill voice.

Akashi's lips curved up slightly. The horrified murmurs of the audience gave him satisfaction. And now, it was time to wrap up the abuse charge. He flicked a glance toward the Generation of Miracles, Kagami, Haru, and the others. They nodded back. "The prosecution calls all prepared witnesses to make their statements."

The judge granted it. One by one, each witness came up to the stand and said their lines loud and clear:

"At least twice a week, Kuroko comes to basketball practice at Seirin covered in injuries. He limps most of the time. Just a few weeks ago, his mother came to a late practice. She blew up in some kind of fit, and Kuroko obviously feared her." –Kagami.

"As the father of Seijuro, I know of his friends quite well. However, Kuroko Tetsuya has always been secluded. I found the injuries later. The tape recording that was witnessed by hearing a few minutes ago was recorded by me. Kuroko Ibuki is the one who is mentally unstable." –Hayato.

"Kuroko will always be troublesome, but his injuries were even more so. My family consists of doctors. All throughout his middle school years, I've had had to bandage and disinfect his wounds for a number of times. Kuroko Ibuki was always the cause." –Midorima

"Kuro-chin is always hurt, and it's always because of his mean mother. One day, Kuro-chin's leg was broken because it was crushed by a shoe. Kuro-chin didn't say it was his mother, but the imprint on his leg was a high-heel. I saw his mother's shoes the next day, and it matched. But Kuro-chin didn't even accept my candy bar . . ." –Murasakibara.

"Tetsu skipped out on practice most in middle school. It wasn't because he was lazy. It was because his injuries were to the point he had to go to the hospital. He would always refuse, though, saying something about his mother wouldn't allow him to. Why not? Doesn't she have medical insurance with her status?"—Aomine.

"Kurokocchi sometimes had really deep wounds on his body that Midorimacchi had to help heal him! It's horrible, and sometimes Kurokocchi would break down crying. I met Kurokocchi's mother, first, and she was mad he was out late practicing basketball. The next day, Kurokocchi came to practice injured! Isn't that weird?" –Kise.

"I used to always visit Tetsu-kun when he was little. But I suddenly had to stop for unknown reasons. Now I know the reason, and I regret not being able to help before. I've seen the pictures; it's horrible, and it's obvious Ibuki has done something cruel to a child." –Catherine.

"Tetsu-kun is a good boy. He doesn't need this kind of trauma in his life. I've also seen the pictures, and you've all witnessed the damage on Tetsu-kun's body. It's something you just can't hide, anymore, or lie about." –Hiroshi.

"Tetsu-kun used to be a bright child. While his face would seem to be blank, you could tell he was happy. But now, after thirteen years, his eyes no longer have that look. It's . . . devastating." –Jun.

"I am the father of Tetsuya and husband of Kuroko Ibuki. Almost everyday, I witness the sight of my son being beaten. It's something I wish I could forget. I don't know how many times I have injured myself in order to get my son out of harm's way. The fear of a custody battle hangs on me when I have the thought of divorce. It's . . . not something a mere child—anybody—should go through; the trauma and the pain. It's horrible, and I desperately wish for my son to stop experiencing something no one should experience. So, please . . . help my son." –Haru.

Haru straightened from his bow and stumbled out of the stand. Kuroko also stood up from his seat to help his father back to his. The teen was pulled into a crushing hug.

Liam looked pale, never have been attacked by this many witnesses in a court trial. _So this is the power of the known Akashi family. _He glanced at the smirking red-head. _That boy; he's something else._

Rin stepped up. "There is more than enough proof to prove the defendant is guilty as charged." She glanced at the jittery jury. "If there is still not enough, there is still one charge I bring up to prove the defendant is the abuser of Kuroko Tetsuya:

Kuroko Ibuki is an illegal immigrant of Japan."

* * *

I don't think I ever been so relieved to finish a chapter. I seriously almost gave up completely two times while writing it. I think because this chapter just held no interest to me that it was so hard to write. Also, the trial setting was difficult to describe. The Japan's judicial system is both similar and different to America. I've done my research. However, most of my fans are from America, so I wanted it to have a familiar setting. I did add a few twists to my own satisfaction.

To a person who asked me if a teen could really be a prosecutor: There are exceptions. It depends on where and what kind of court you go to, the legal permission, and if the teen is supported by a legal guardian. It's very rare, but it can be done.

I hope you enjoyed it. This is officially the longest chapter I've written. Sorry for the long wait.

I absolutely know there are mistakes in here. Please tell me if you spot one.

~Virelei


	21. Chapter 21

**Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form**

**Chapter 21**

"Objection!" Liam called out firmly. "As we were informed specifically my defendant's court summons, one charge has been charged against her. According to policy and law, the defendant has the right to be informed of why she is being charged. No new charges can be brought up against the defendant in the same trial."

Rin ran a hand through her hair and spoke more fluently, "Objection, Your Honor. We are not pressing any charges for the new case we have brought up. This is strictly used for evidence to prove the defendant is guilty as charged with abuse. We the prosecutors are not pressing for penalties toward illegal immigrants. As our right, we are allowed to provide as much valid evidence we can to prove the defendant guilty."

The judge kept a straight face. "The objection of the defendant's is overruled. The evidence the prosecutors shall bring up will be held against the defendant as the present charge. Any future charges will be noted for another case."

Ibuki cursed under her breath.

Rin smirked and continued her case. She stood confidently with her fiery hair tossed to one side of her shoulder. "The defendant, Kuroko Ibuki, is, as of right now, an illegal immigrant in Japan. Ah, my mistake, should I call the defendant . . . Sevaine Ibakmi?"

The teal-haired woman's eyes widened so wide, Aomine thought her eyeballs were going to pop out. Her muscles tensed, and she clenched her fists abruptly under the table. Akashi seemed satisfied by her reaction.

"The way the English people say it," Rin continued. "The defendant's first name is Ibakmi; the family name is Sevaine. Ibakmi Sevaine. The defendant has three identities in Japan: Kuroko Ibuki, Suzuki Akihiko, and Abe Miku. Your Honor, I'd like to have this recorded: If you put the defendant's first names in the order I previously stated, take the first two letters, you will receive the name: Ibakmi."

The judge asked the court reporter to state Rin's lines, again. She pushed up her glasses and looked at the dialogue she has been typing on her typewriter: "The prosecution attorney said: 'The defendant has three identities in Japan: Kuroko Ibuki, Suzuki Akihiko, and Abe Miku. English spelling: I-B-U-K-I; A-K-I-H-I-K-O; M-I-K-U."

One of the recorders of the trial nodded to confirm Rin's statement to be true. It did spell out Ibakmi.

"I'd like this to be admitted as evidence, Your Honor."

"Does the defendant have any objections?"

"We do not, Your Honor." To be honest, Liam was completely confused. He hadn't been informed of this.

"The statements shall be admitted into evidence."

"I'd also like to submit these surface records of each identity I have mentioned. Abe Miku, Kuroko Ibuki, and Suzuki Akihiko, as stated in their personal files, all own the same three businesses. All three of the defendant's identities seem to be known for the same title."

The judge quickly skimmed through the records. "The exhibits will be admitted through evidence."

Rin flexed her hands. She was on a roll, and it felt good to have everything go her way. "The prosecution calls a worker of the Rasa Corps."

The bailiff brought a young, nervous man to the witness stand. The red-head started questioning as soon as the clerk got his information. "Where do you work?"

"Rasa Corps, down south in the first branch."

"What is Rasa Corps., exactly?"

"It's one of the three biggest corporations in Japan." The man sounded proud to be working for it.

"Rasa Corps. is owned by how many people?"

He scrunched his eyebrows. "One, of course."

"By whom?"

"You don't know? By Abe Miku-san."

"Who is Abe Miku?"

"The most powerful woman in Japan; she owns all three of the biggest corporations."

Rin pointed straight at Kuroko Ibuki. "Then tell me, who is that?"

He blinked. "Abe Miku-san."

The crowd gasped. Akashi looked bored, as he already knew what was happening. He did, on the other hand, enjoy Ibuki's expressions.

"The Prosection now calls the worker from the Atari Corps."

It was the same process with the other witness. Same questions, different company and owner names. When Rin asked who Ibuki was, again, she answered with 'Suzuki Akihiko'. Again, the crowd started to murmur quietly. It was obvious the teal-haired woman was recognized by three names.

"As I've said, Your Honor and ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the defendant goes by three identities. However, the name she was legally registered with at birth was Sevaine Ibakmi." Rin handed over many articles to the officer who passed it onto the judge. "Many years ago, two entertainers that went by the name of Liam Sevaine—" The blonde attorney shot up at his name, but then composed himself when he realized it wasn't him, "and Julie Sevaine both lived in America. As stated in many of those articles as proof, the two had a child, later named Ibakmi Sevaine. News in ensuing years showed the two mysteriously stopping their career and flying all the way to Japan. The child was left behind. Your Honor, do the articles state this?"

"They do."

"Then I would like to also submit the first article as evidence. Please keep the second and third for future reference."

"Does the defendant have any objections?"

"We . . . do not, Your Honor," Liam faintly said. He was getting sick.

Once the judge passed it as yet another piece of evidence, Rin continued, "Who is Sevaine Ibakmi? From American news just reported two to three weeks ago, she is a wanted criminal. To be more specific, a wanted murderer and abuser. Even missing for more than three years, American officers are investigating in this cold case to this day. On the article, it reads Sevaine Ibakmi disappeared in the year of 19XX. In the same year, a mysterious woman appeared in Japan, and started three, small businesses: The Atari, Rasa Corps, and Ibuki Corporation."

Many shocked murmurs spread throughout the room, and even Haru looked stricken at the news.

"Some new activity spurted from the two entertainers at the same time, and it was predicted Sevaine Liam and Sevaine Julie helped smuggle her daughter into Japan, using their influencing background to help their only daughter escape from American officers. Two years later, the two died, leaving their adult daughter alone. Just a few months after, the three businesses she had built up suddenly boomed up in business." Rin looked fiercely at the jury.

"Is it just coincidental that these events took place at the same time of Sevaine Ibakmi's disappearance, and after? My people have been looking for Kuroko Ibuki's transfer and legal immigration paperworks, but they do not exist. Nevertheless, on her birth certificate, her birthplace confirms New York City, New York, America. If not a born citizen of Japan, where are her transfer files? Where is her certified citizen certificate? _Also," _Akashi's mother emphasized to show she wasn't done, "the picture shown of Sevaine Ibakmi does not resemble the defendant as much as it would allow us to determine them as the same person. Though there _are_ records of the defendant's plastic surgery documents early in her years. This picture I will present will show the similarities through editing to show plastic surgery was gone to rid of her unending crimes."

She handed the picture Aomine and Kise edited. It was also passed onto the judge. His eyebrow twitched at the similarities. "I would like the many articles and picture admitted as evidence."

They were admitted.

"As said, the prosecution is not pressing charges for these said crimes in this trial and case. This is only presented as evidence toward the present charge."

Rin swallowed and re-ran all the notes through her head. Had she stated everything? Nothing was left out? Usually, she would be confident and rest her case the minute she finished, but Ibuki was a complicated one, and they couldn't afford to make mistakes. " . . . The prosecution rests our case, Your Honor."

Haru let the tension in his shoulders flow out. They were now done. It was only up to the defendant's side and the jury if they would win or not. Kuroko's father stole a glance toward Ibuki's attorney and frowned when he saw the pale face. "Didn't you tell me he's the best attorney who studied in America, Hayato-san?" Haru asked quietly. "Why is he not objecting to any of the evidence?"

"He is the best attorney," Hayato murmured back. "Look at this face, though. He looks shocked. It is obvious Ibuki didn't inform him _any_ of this information. As a person who is hiring an attorney, it is your job to inform your attorney or lawyer any charges the other side can press against you. Ibuki kept information from him. . . . If he had known beforehand, he would most likely have information that would counter ours." Hayato ran a hand over his face. "Ultimately, it is Ibuki's fault. We are lucky."

"The defendant may now present their case and evidence."

Liam stayed quiet and stared at the desk with a small glare. "May I request a break, Your Honor?"

"You may."

"The defendant requests a short break to recollect her thoughts."

"Allowed. The court session will take a break for approximately half an hour. During that time, the jury may look over the admitted evidence. The jury may not allow to come in contact in any way or form with the prosection nor the defendant. Please have the jury exit out, first."

Rin, upset at the break, impatiently waited as the jury filed out of the back exit. Once they all exited, the prosecution was allowed to go, and Akashi headed out the front exit. Everybody followed after him.

The cool, refreshing air definitely felt good against their skins. It had been stuffy and tense in the court room, so it wasn't that bad to take a breather. Hayato was more concerned at how much information Liam could get in the short period of time.

"Akashi-kun!" Kuroko easily slipped through the crowd of people and stumbled in front of the red-head. They had to wait a little for the others to join up, and once they did, the audience had mostly left the area. Akashi studied the small teen in front of him with scrutinizing eyes. Kuroko had been allowed to wash his face during the trial, so he was cleaned up after his break down in court.

When the red-head deemed Kuroko well, Akashi quickly pulled the small teenager against his body. Kuroko stumbled a bit before clumsily fitting into his partner's lean figure. A dominating hand rested onto his teal locks. "Are you well?"

"Hai," he replied. He struggled a bit to step back from the small embrace, and Akashi let him go. Kuroko took a few steps backward and stared at the large crowd before him:

Kagami, Murasakibara, Midorima, Akashi, Kise, Aomine, his father, Hayato, Rin, Catherine, Hiroshi, and Jun.

All of them had come to defend the small teen from any more unwanted abuse. The thought made Kuroko feel weak.

He surprised _everybody_—maybe not Haru, as he was the one who taught Kuroko his polite behavior—by bowing extremely low and formally. Akashi crossed his arms. "Thank you very much, everybody," Kuroko announced softly. He stared at the ground. "You went through much trouble for me. I am sorry for an inconvenience I have caused. Thank you."

"Aw, come on, Tetsu," Aomine complained. "You made this awkward. Stop apologizing and bowing!"

"I'll have to agree with Ahomine," Kagami added. "Seriously, stop bowing."

"Kuro-chin, if you bow too low, I can't feed you snacks . . ."

"Kurokocchi is so cute! But I can't see his face!"

"How foolish . . ."

Catherine smiled at the teens' antics and stepped up before the bowing teen. She bent down, her golden hair flowing with her, and pressed a gentle hand onto Kuroko's head. The teal-head slowly lifted his body to meet her gaze. "You're a good boy, Tetsu-kun."

He blinked. "Thank you."

"He's too polite," Rin scoffed and casted a glare toward Haru. "I do wonder from where he inherited it."

Haru ignored the glare and walked up to Kuroko to replace Catherine. Suddenly, he pulled his son into a hard hug. "I'm proud of you," he whispered near Kuroko's ear and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "You did your best, Tetsuya."

He let go of his son and moved out of his way to give him space. Akashi stood by Kuroko and placed a hand on his shoulder. Kise eyed the hand suspiciously.

"Akashicchi, you've been touching Kurokocchi too much! You even hugged him! Don't . . . don't tell me," Kise's face turned horrified. "Akashicchi is in a relationship with Kurokocchi? No! Aominecchi; we need to save Kurokocchi, he's going to be eaten!"

Kuroko stayed quiet and didn't answer the unneeded question.

Akashi only raised his eyebrows.

**~Setting Skip~**

Kuroko Ibuki stormed out of the court building by the side exit. There were three exits in the court room: the back exit for the jury, the front for the prosecution, and the side fo the defendant. This was to avoid as much contact as possible. She had tried to follow her son out the front exit, but officers stopped her, further fouling her mood.

She strode furiously all the way to where they parked. Liam followed behind closely. "What the hell are you doing?" Ibuki screeched as they reached their car. She whirled around to face the taller blonde. "You should be the best lawyer here! Didn't you study in America? The Akashi family should be nothing to you with the knowledge you have! I paid you for nothing; wasted my cash! You're worthless to me!"

"_Be quiet,"_ Liam countered severely. He was speaking in his natural language; English. "_You hid information from me, so it is your fault I had to request for a break in order to shuffle the evidence. If you had told me beforehand you were an illegal immigrant—"_

_"I am not an illegal immigrant!" _Ibuki shouted, speaking in English as well.

"_Don't deny it," _Liam said harshly. _"You are extremely lucky I am your lawyer. All evidence has been put against you; you can no longer simply plead innocence." _He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. After taking a few deep breaths, he returned to Japan's standard language, "We have thirty minutes. It's enough time with my research. Is there a library near here?"

"There's one two blocks down," she answered tersely. "What are you going to do?"

"I'll explain on the way there. Give me the directions to the library."

**~Setting Skip~**

"Of course we will be okay," Rin said defiantly. "We brought over-the-top evidence. It will bring damage to Kuroko Ibuki."

"Yes, but thirty minutes is more than enough to recollect themselves," Hayato countered. "Think about it. Did you not recognize the attorney with her?"

"I did."

Rin and Hayato were quietly discussing in front of their car. Aomine, Kagami, and Kise had both decided to walk to a nearby fast-food restaurant for lunch as all of them were starving. Murasakibara started to complain to Akashi about running out of snacks, so he ordered Midorima to take the purple-head to a convenience store for more. Haru drove his colleagues back to the train station, since their job was done. Akashi and Kuroko simply . . . disappeared to somewhere.

Rin sighed and leaned against their sleek car. She took off her formal jacket. "We attacked with all we have, Hayato. We've run out. There's no more evidence we can find, even with this time we're being given now. If Ibuki and her attorney are able to find information that counters ours, we can't attack back."

Hayato nodded in agreement and pursed his lips. "We can only hope for the best. Knowing our son, he will not stop until he wins."

**~Setting Skip~**

Akashi and Kuroko walked down a secluded path surrounded by leaveless trees and dead grass. It was off to the side of the court building, where there was a slight view of the parking lot and a view down to the street. Akashi had dragged the smaller teen here, not that the teen resisted, to take a short, relaxing stroll to ease Kuroko's nerves.

The two walked quietly down the path. They didn't speak nor make a move towards each other. Kuroko kept taking glances at his partner, wondering what was wrong, or if he had done something wrong. Akashi didn't acknowledge him, even when he was aware of the glances and knew the teal-head was getting anxious by the minute.

Finally, Kuroko couldn't take the silence anymore. Even though he was usually the silent one, the silence between them was somewhat eery and brought him on his toes. "Ano . . .Akashi-kun?" He stopped walking.

Akashi paused at the call and turned his body halfway to meet Kuroko's gaze. He had one eyebrow quirked to show that he was listening. Kuroko bowed. "Thank you for everything you have done for me, Akashi-kun." He quickly straightened, though, since he knew the red-head didn't like him bowing too long.

The taller teen narrowed his eyes and crooked a finger toward himself. Kuroko, confused, walked up slowly until he was in arms' reach. A hand cupped his pale cheek, and Akashi bent down just a little for their height to be equal. "I did nothing to be thanked," the teen murmured, staring into the blank, blue eyes. "When will you realize we are doing this because it is by our choice?"

"Whether if it is your choice or not, everybody is still inconveniencing themselves because of me," Kuroko said monotonously. "I am thinking of repaying them."

"Hm." Akashi snaked an arm around Kuroko's waist and pulled him closer. The teal-head didn't protest. "They will not accept the gifts."

"Then I will not give them a gift."

"They will disapprove of you repaying them."

"Otou-san will help me."

Akashi shook his head. He spotted a bench a few feet away and pushed Kuroko toward it. "Sit."

He did. His former captain followed after and sat close to Kuroko's right side. Instantly, Kuroko tiredly leaned his body against Akashi's shoulder. The captain said nothing and only secured his hold onto the smaller's waist. "It's almost over," Akashi said. "We have won."

"You don't know that yet, Akashi-kun."

"I do. I know everything." He smirked and ducked his head to stare at the sleepy teenager. "Or have you forgotten that, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko frowned, but didn't lift his head from the masculine shoulder. "You're too cocky—" A pair of cold lips met his, promptly interrupting his sentence. It was forceful, and the lips were smooth and experienced. He was at first shocked and still, his brain still in the middle of processing _what_ was on his mouth. From their past few kisses, Akashi had always asked first. Maybe because Kuroko had already experienced the many levels of _kissing_, the red-head found no need to ask this time. It did take longer for Kuroko to respond, though.

His arms slowly wrapped around Akashi's neck. It wasn't their first time, but Kuroko still didn't know how to position his body for a kiss. Where did he put his hands? Should he tilt his head? Should he turn his body? Was it acceptable to lean in?

Akashi, feeling the passer's worries, turned his own body to hold Kuroko by the waist. This way, the only position Kuroko could be in would be his body turned toward the red-head, arms around his neck, and his head tilted slightly for comfort. Kuroko hesitantly moved his lips with Akashi's once he realized his former captain was doing all the work.

It was a chaste kiss that involved no tongue. A simple, long, and soft kiss. Akashi pulled back for the short teen to breathe. Kuroko still kept his arms wrapped around the red-head's cold neck and took heavy breaths to replace the ones Akashi stole. He stared into the hetero-colored eyes that held dancing amusement. A faint blush appeared on his pale cheeks. He buried his face into Akashi's shoulder.

"That was mean of you, Akashi-kun," he mumbled into his shirt.

A deep vibration was felt by Kuroko, signalling the captain had just let out a small chuckle. A hand ran through his teal hair before setting it onto the back of his head. "I only wanted to observe your reaction."

"You should have asked, first."

"Then there would not be any reaction to observe."

Kuroko didn't answer and buried himself deeper into Akashi's body. He was glad no one was around to see them. When Kise had asked the forbidden question, he couldn't think of a proper answer.

They stayed like that for a few minutes before a large gust came flying in, effectively chilling the frail bluenette. Kuroko freed himself of the embrace and stood up from the bench. Akashi followed suit. "I am going to get a warm drink," the passer said and zipped up his jacket. "I have money for two. What do you want, Akashi-kun?"

Akashi gave him a wry glance. "I am coming with you, Tetsuya."

"I want to go alone," Kuroko countered but said in a more softer voice for an explanation, "I want to think by myself. With Akashi-kun there, I can't. Okaa-san is probably collecting information about Rin-san and Akashi-kun right now . . . and about me, too. I—want to be prepared for that, so I," Kuroko looked away from the intense eyes. "I won't make such an incident again."

Akashi surveyed the boy in front of him and shook his head. "It is much too dangerous to let you go alone. It does not matter if it is only a few minutes away, or that you want to be alone. Do you think I would actually let you go after what your mother has done to you? It's for your safety, Tetsuya."

Kuroko uncharacteristically grabbed onto Akashi's hand. "Please, Akashi-kun," he asked in a whisper. "I will take exactly four minutes. Most likely even less than that. My phone is with me. I only want to think alone."

The red-head internally fought a battle against the pleading eyes that were turned against him. He lost. "Exactly four minutes. You know I mean four," Akashi said seriously. "Any more than that, I will immediately assume you are hurt and call for the others."

Kuroko enthusiastically bowed. "Hai. Thank you, Akashi-kun."

Akashi watched as the teal-head walked swiftly up the path and turned, disappearing from his sight. He closed his eyes and sat down on the steel, green bench. _The vending machine is approximately two minutes away at a slow walk. By the speed he is walking now, he should get there at one minute and twenty to thirty seconds. It takes about thirty seconds to select two drinks and grab them. The walk back should be the same time if he walks the same speed. In all, it should only take about three minutes and forty-five seconds. Kuroko Ibuki went out the side exit that leads to the parking lot. If Tetsuya's statement is correct, and if she was smart, she should be heading down to the library soon in order to receive information. They surely cannot cross paths . . . _

He put a hand over his face. His mind could turn situations into extremely complicated ones if he wanted it to.

**~Setting Skip~**

The driver open the car door of the luxurious car for Ibuki to slide inside. Liam was already sitting up front, concentrating on the files he already had in his briefcase. She sighed and straightened her skirt, prepared to go into the car.

However, something caught her attention from the corner of her eye. A teen. A small teen. A familiar teen. A familiar teen with teal hair. A familiar teen with teal hair alone.

Ibuki's face distorted into something disgusting. "Actually, Liam," she poked her head into the car. "You go on ahead. I will stay behind."

"What are you going to do?"

"I need to take care of some business." She nodded toward the driver who got into the driver's seat and slowly backed out to go to the library. Ibuki waited for the limo to turn a corner, all the while keeping a sly eye on the teen.

She started to follow him.

**~Setting Skip~**

Akashi looked at his golden watch. Three minutes. Three minutes had passed. It should take another forty five seconds for him to get here. Maybe thirty seconds if he walked faster.

He leaned back and turned his head to look at the parking lot. At this time, it was mostly empty except for a few cars, including their groups'. Ibuki's car was also gone, too, but it didn't put the red-head at ease for some reason. He looked at his watch. It's been fifty seconds. _Something is wrong. _A flash of short, teal-hair caught his extremely observant eye. The event went by slow, and Akashi didn't even have to turn around to confirm the silky, strange-colored hair.

He scrambled up and checked his watch. Forty-five seconds since four minutes. Kuroko would never push time on him. Something was wrong. _Something_ is _wrong, _Akashi clenched his teeth. _That hair—it belongs to Ibuki._

_Ibuki._

_Ibuki._

Suddenly, the feared, level-headed Akashi Seijuro took off sprinting. The wind rushed against his hair, and his legs moved faster than it had ever moved, which said much as he did extreme training everyday. A phone was clutched tightly with one hand. He gritted his teeth.

_Tetsuya. _

* * *

I feel like this chapter was really bleh in the middle I: But it was more interesting and fun to write, and all these reviews motivated me! I have so many new reviewers, and it makes me happy! Also, a little information on Ibuki's real name:

Ibakmi. Yes, that is a real name. The idea of the name for Ibuki actually comes from my friend who is actually named Ibakmi. The 'k' is silent. It is pronounced: "IB-AW-MI." I don't know what's the language, but I found it unique and strange-sounding. It also kind of sounded evil to my ears, so there goes the name for Ibuki for my story xD

I know many of you hate cliff hangers (which is why I am already starting the next chapter so you guys won't be too mad I:) but I have to end the chapter like this. If I don't, the next event I'll be writing would be really long, making the chapter too long, and I can't end it in the middle of an important event or else it would lose all its effect. I can't have a chapter too-too long, either, as it doesn't separate my story in an organized fashion I:

I'm sorry! The story is coming to an end, but I am going to start writing many one-shots and two long stories. Would you guys read them if I wrote them? :)

Tell me of mistakes!

~Virelei


	22. Chapter 22

**Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form**

**Chapter 22**

Kuroko walked down the route to the vending machine, where hot drinks awaited for him and Akashi. He knew Akashi would be counting the seconds he took, so Kuroko made sure he didn't slow down his speed. While it was nice to have someone worry (Akashi would never admit it, of course) over him, it was also suffocating. He knew it was for good reason, though, as Ibuki was still considered 'innocent' and was out on the loose.

The teen stopped in front of the vending machine and took a small sigh. Kuroko Ibuki; his legally blood-related mother. A mother that could visciously twist matters into her own hands in a matter of seconds. This was the first time he witnessed his mother losing. Kuroko was amazed at the abilities of Akashi and his mother, but he questioned it. It was going too easy, wasn't it?

_You cannot think like that, _Kuroko berated himself and shook his head. _I should believe in Akashi-kun._

He had to get over his fear. Once his mother was put far away from him, he would train himself to not flinch at every new hand, and he would work on basketball more, as he was now always too busy or injured to play. His mother had dragged him down all his life; when she is gone, what are the possibilities that would lay out before him?

_Akashi-kun would probably disapprove me buying something unhealthy, _Kuroko frowned. _I will buy us both hot tea._

He grabbed the two fallen drinks from the machine, nearly dropping them when he forgot it was hot. Using his sleeves as makeshift gloves, he carried the drinks awkwardly and walked back quickly, since his formr captain was waiting. The warmth of the cans seeped through his sleeves and heated his cold hands.

_I will not let Okaa-san get to me, _he thought, _She will be gone. Akashi-kun—_

Something cut off his breathing. A freezing, rough palm slapped against his nose and mouth. An arm snaked around his waist and pulled hard, physically immobilizing his body against another's. It was a woman's body, as Kuroko could feel her breasts against his back. Teal hair that was not his own blew into his face.

"Don't you dare make a sound," the attacker hissed. "If you do, I swear I will kill you right now."

**~Setting and Time Skip~**

_Damn it, Tetsuya, _Akashi ran down the streets, ignoring the rude stares he received by people whom he passed like a breeze. He had been sprinting for three minutes straight; fatigue in his body didn't even exist right now. Kuroko took over his mind. _Where would he be? Where would she take him?_

_Somewhere secluded, _his subconcious told him, but there were so many places that were secluded in Tokyo. It didn't narrow things down for him. _Somewhere where even I would not think of . . . Somewhere obvious, too obvious . . . _

His extremely observant hetero-like eyes quickly surveyed every corner of the streets he quickly sprinted through. This was where he used his Emperor's Eye, other than for winning. He turned a corner and ignored a woman's yell of indignation. _Too many people . . . she could blend in . . . Tetsuya, where?_

_Where we used to play._

_Akashi-kun . . . can we go there?_

_Okaa-san doesn't let me go there, anymore._

_She . . . disapproves of the place . . . _

Akashi stopped running. He halted right in the middle of the sidewalk. His breaths didn't even come up as pants. His eyes narrowed.

_There._

**~Setting Skip~**

"Okaa-san!" Kuroko cried before a burning punch connected to his cheek. His body staggered backwards and hit the brick wall of a building. He slid down pitifully. "S-stop, ple—"

A hand reached out to enclose it tightly around his throat. The teal-haired teen immediately started to claw at the hand, his movements desperate for oxygen. It only resulted in a firmer grip, though. "Shut up," his mother hissed. "I don't want to hear a word from you. You dare tell everybody about me, take me to court, and then publically embarrass me in front of more than fifty people, and then you have the nerve to tell me to stop? You deserve this, you fucking brat!" She slammed Kuroko's head hard against the brick wall. Along with the lack of oxygen and spreading pain, Kuroko felt dizzy.

He was on the verge of losing conciousness.

"Oh no you don't." Ibuki let go of her son's neck and threw him toward the ground. His face skidded against the dirt. "I won't let you go that easily. You need to feel the pain; your _punishment._ Who said you could go to sleep?" She spat near Kuroko. "After all you've done to me, you think you deserve to not feel pain? _Hah?_" Kicking the injured teen hard in the chest, Ibuki grabbed his collar and lifted the light boy easily. Kuroko looked into her eyes blankly, even though his panic was rising. All techniques of Aikido taught by Akashi flew through his mind.

A fist was aimed straight toward his nose. Instinct finally took its toll. Kuroko tilted his head slightly, the punch barely grazing its cheek. This threw Ibuki off her balance, as she expected to actually hit her son with all her force. Her momentum had her stumble a bit, and Kuroko weakly grabbed the hand on his collar and twisted. She let go and fell to the floor when he sidestepped his body.

"You . . . fucking . . . waste of space," Ibuki snarled as she staggered to stand. "Don't you know when to give up?" She struck out a kick, but Kuroko slammed his palm against her round kick and pushed. Her balance off, Ibuki fell again. She wiped her lips with the back of her hand and sneered. "That Akashi brat taught you some new moves, eh?" So quick that the injured boy couldn't see it, Ibuki stood up and slammed him against the wall. "You're not the only one who knows some." Crashing her knee against Kuroko's stomach, the teal-haired teen coughed up blood and was thrown toward the floor.

_Stand up._

Kuroko couldn't.

_Fight._

He couldn't.

_Defend._

Impossible.

Ibuki eyed her son, crazed. She slowly bent over and unzipped her low purse that she clipped onto her skirt. A gleaming, loathsome knife appeared in her hand, a beam of light reflecting into Kuroko's eyes from how shiny it was. "Take off your shirt," she threatened. Her intimidating steps made their way toward the fallen teen.

Kuroko widened his eyes. For once, on his blank face, the fear became evident. Ibuki grinned in glee. "Take off your shirt," she repeated.

"Okaa-san," he whispered.

"You look like you need another lesson in _obedience_."

**~Setting Skip~**

_She must have taken a discreet route, _Akashi inferred. _There is absolutely no way she could drag a struggling boy through the streets in public. _His eyebrow twitched. _That is, if Tetsuya struggled._

The red-head was still running. His destination was far from a run's walk. Since he knew taking a cab would only get him stuck in traffic at this hour, Akashi had no choice but to run. A cell-phone was in his right hand, while a thumb quickly dialed a number. He put it to his ear; his speed didn't even slow down for a moment.

"Akashicchi?" Kise's confused voice answered.

"Ryouta," Akashi turned a corner and neatly dodged a family of four. At the end of the street, he could spot the place. "Come with Daiki and Taiga to the _Jun Cafe_. Immediately."

"What? Now? Why?"

"Tetsuya is hurt."

That was all that was needed for Kise to follow Akashi's order without question in a moment's breath. Shouting of Aomine's and Kagami's voice could be heard from the other line. "We're coming, Akashicchi."

"Hurry, or there will be consequences." He hung up, already dialing another number with his fast thumb.

"Akashi."

"Tell Atsushi to come to Jun Cafe right now. Tetsuya is hurt."

Midorima didn't miss a beat. "Murasakibara; go to _Jun Cafe_. Kuroko is injured. Do you know where it is?"

Akashi could hear that the purple-head did also not question the situation. "Mm~Yeah, I know where it is. I'll meet Aka-chin there."

"He's going. What do you need me to do, Akashi?" Midorima's calm voice entered Akashi's world.

"Call the police and an ambulance. Contact Mother and Father as well. We are going to end this once and for all."

"Understood." Midorima hung up.

The captain called Haru, next.

"Akashi-kun?"

"Tetsuya is hurt. Ibuki has him."

" . . . What?"

"_Do not ask anything, Haru_." Akashi's voice was harsh. "Go to _Jun Cafe_."

Haru didn't even say 'good-bye' before hanging up.

The cafe was near. He pushed on running and ignored the rude Japanese remarks aimed at him. _Fight, Tetsuya._

**Setting Skip~**

"Damn it, damn it, damn it, _damn it!" _Aomine shouted as he started to run. Kagami and Kise were close behind. A mother covered her son's ears and glared at the players. "Ten minutes we're gone, and something happens to him!"

"It's that wench," Kagami added hatefully. "She doesn't know when to give up."

Kise stayed silent for once and pressed his lips together tightly. _Kurokocchi . . ._

"_Jun Cafe_ is not far from here. We should be able to make it in time with Akashi," Aomine said gruffly.

No one replied as they picked up their pace.

**~Setting Skip~**

"Kuro-chin, Aka-chin, Kuro-chin, Aka-chin," Murasakibara murmured under his breath. He wasn't exactly running, but he wasn't exactly walking, either. His long strides from his tall legs made up for an almost-sprint. It covered much more distance than any of the Generation of Miracles at a fast jog. "Aka-chin is panicking . . . That's not good . . ." He frowned and fiddled with a bag of chips as he continued to 'walk-run'.

To a blind eye, a person would say the purple-head didn't really care for the situation.

However, to an observant's eye, a person would say the purple-head was just about as panicked as Akashi.

**~Setting Skip~**

"Thank you, Midorima-kun," Hayato said tersely before cutting off the connection. Rin looked seriously at her husband, having heard the whole conversation. Akashi's father cut straight to the point: "Car or run?"

"Run."

**~Setting Skip~**

Akashi turned, and soon he was in front of the cafe. He didn't stop there. The red-head headed left and went through the heavy bushes of weeds, plants, and flowers. This was where he had found Kuroko hurt months ago, and this was where he had started the battle with Ibuki.

Akashi knew there was an even more secret location if you went further inside the weeds; a place away from the public where no one could hear one's screams. He didn't worry the others wouldn't find it, since he had faith that one of them would figure Ibuki would haul Kuroko to somewhere secret.

"Almost," he murmured and continued to push pass the troublesome weeds.

"I'll kill you!" a shriek resounded against his ears as he moved closer.

_She's passed completely sane, _Akashi cursed in his mind and finally sprinted through the rough path. _Make it there on time. . . _

"I hate you, you—" colorful words echoed loudly from what seemed like Ibuki's voice. "Having the nerve to cause _me_ trouble; I will make you suffer. Are you even listening? Stupid piece of shit, already passed out—"

"_Tetsuya."_

The voice made Ibuki freeze. She had Kuroko up by his collar, her fist pulled back for an incoming punch. Blood slid slowly down the arm that was holding her son. She turned her head slightly to greet Akashi with a wide smile.

The red-head could not take his eyes off Kuroko—was it even Kuroko? His Tetsuya? The body was too beaten up to really tell. His teal-hair was smudged and smeared with dirt while his head hung limp. Even though his face was shaded, Akashi could still make out the bruises and cuts. His dress shirt was torn to pieces, and a large gash went from his right shoulder down to the mid section of his stomach. Whether it was very deep or not, the red-head couldn't tell, but blood dripped rapidly on the floor. One of Kuroko's leg was twisted in the wrong way.

"Akashi-kun," Ibuki purred. "Came to see the show?" She made a move to finish her punch, but Akashi's voice stopped her:

"If you dare," his tone came out steely and quiet, hard but soft, "If you dare hurt Tetsuya with your hands again, I will make you regret it."

The crazed woman threw her head back and laughed. "You Akashi's are all talk. I'll never take you seriously." She flew her fist and connected it to Kuroko's cheek. The teen went flying back.

Akashi shook his head. "I warned you," he murmured.

Suddenly, the dangerous captain disappeared. He reappeared behind Ibuki, and the woman was sent crashing to the brick wall by a strong, brutal kick. Akashi neatly folded his extended leg and set it down gracefully. He tilted his head, his hetero-eyes glinting as he advanced toward the fallen mother.

Ibuki snarled and sprung back up. She lunged at the captain, knife positioned. Akashi merely sidestepped, hit Ibuki's hand with his palm while sending a neat, precise kick to Ibuki's head. The knife spun through the air and skittered across the dirt before disguising itself into the weeds. The woman staggered, shocked that a teenager was beating her in a fight, and didn't have time to react when a cold voice entered her ears:

"I do not have time for the likes of you."

Something pushed her hard against a brick. The pain was unbelievable, and darkness took over her body before she could defend.

Akashi stared at the unconcious woman in disgust, not a single scratch on him. He didn't stare long, though, as he had other issues on his hands. The red-head walked stiffly to the beaten Kuroko and knelt beside him. He observed the major injuries quickly.

_Stop the bleeding. _

The large gash caused most likely by the knife was the biggest problem. It caused him to lose too much blood. Akashi took off his jacket without thought and pressed the cloth against the large cut. When it wasn't enough, he also took off his dress shirt, leaving him in a plain shirt. After, he tied both cloths tightly around Kuroko's body, careful of his other injuries, but tight enough to lessen the bleeding.

"Wake up, Tetsuya," he ordered, but he received no response. Akashi gritted his teeth. He needed to know if the boy was still alive or not.

"Akashicchi!"

"Akashi!"

"Aka-chin!"

Four tall figures ran to the direction of Akashi. He only took a second's glance to confirm the teens before turning his attention back to Kuroko. Blood stained his pants, but Akashi took no notice of it. "You're late," he said without looking up.

"What the Hell—Kurokocchi!" Kise cried and dropped to his knees when he reached them. His face was turning green. "Oh . . . Oh, I—Kurokocchi—is he—Sick—Blood . . ."

"Look away, Ryouta."

"It took us awhile to find this place," Aomine panted but then took a good look at his old partner's body. Once he did, the tanned teenager let out a string of loud curses that would put a sailor to shame. Kagami joined in when he too saw Kuroko.

Murasakibara looked angrily at the lifeless body. "Kuro-chin's mother; where is she?"

"Somewhere behind me. Unconcious." Akashi ripped another piece of cloth from Kuroko's tattered shirt and tied it around the injured's bleeding arm. "Where is Shintarou? Have the police arrived?"

"Midorima is outside the cafe. He's leading the medics here right now."

"You should have killed her, Aka-chin."

Akashi ignored the last comment and looked out toward the horizon above the weeds. As if on cue, several silhouettes started to make their way to Kuroko. Akashi waited for them as he tied yet another cloth around Kuroko's head. The large gash still hadn't stopped bleeding, and it was soaking the cloths quickly.

What happened after, Kise couldn't really remember. It was all a haze, and if someone were to ask Akashi, the red-head would probably say he couldn't remember either, despite his abnormal memory.

Kise remembered the medics rushing over as soon as they could. He remembered they had taken one look at Kuroko and had grown pale. He remembered a medic yelling to get someone on a stretcher, and someone putting a mask on his dear Kurokocchi's bruised face. He remembered someone shaking him and ordering him to stand up, but he didn't know who. Police officers had also swarmed up, and took a hold of Akashi to question him, and then Midorima came to assist since the red-head refused to give long, explanatory answers.

Kise remembered medics putting Ibuki on a stretcher too, and Murasakibara throwing a huge fit at how they should just let her die. He remembered Akashi quieting him through simple words. Then, someone new came. A man—a man that looked like his Kurokocchi. He remembered the man yelling at the medics, asking how was his son, begging Akashi to tell him the situation, sobbing at the fact his son was on the verge of death.

_Then_, it had _really_ hit Kise. His Kurokocchi was on the verge of death. He could be dying. He was dying. Someone had started to shake him even more, and he remembered being enveloped into warm, strong arms. He had been confused at the hug, and who was giving it to him, but the person only tightened his embrace.

It was only then that Kise realized he was crying, too.

* * *

I apologize to all my readers that I didn't leave an author's note at the end of this chapter. To be honest, I was really zooming through this in four hours on Friday to finish late at night, since I knew I wouldn't be able to post today, on Saturday, since I had something to go to all day. So, by the time I finished, it was one in the morning, and I was too lazy to write any more.

ANYWAY:

GOOD NEWS TO RUSSIAN SPEAKERS:

One fabulous fan translated my fanfiction into Russian. Find it here! **ficbook readfic / 561333**

I really hate typing in curse words and having cuss words in my story, but Ibuki's character is shaped like that, sighs. I hope you liked it in all, even if it did frustrate you about Kuroko xD Thank you everybody! I was also in the hospital I: I'm all right, though, but that caused me to write this chapter late.

Reviews help motivate me, and I really do appreciate it! Tell me of mistakes!

~Virelei


	23. Chapter 23

**Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form**

**Chapter 23**

The first thing Kuroko felt when he woke was—nothing? His body was completely numb. His emotions, however, were a different matter. Confusion, fear, betrayal, wonder: He couldn't depict them out. It was odd to be floating through emotions while his body felt no pain. Wasn't he supposed to feel something? Was physical touch a lie to his mind, too? Had he been imagining the agony all along?

Where—was he? Why couldn't he open his eyes? Come to think of it, a background _beep . . . beep . . . beep. . . _kept on attacking his sensitive ears. What was it?

"His heart's rate is going back to normal, and his breathing levels have heightened. Hm?"

A soft murmur. Deep, professional—what?

Heavy footsteps echoing. It disappeared after a few seconds. The sound of a door softly clicked.

Kuroko slowly opened his eyes. Soft, white light greeted him. He squinted, despite how dim it was, since it hurt his blue eyes. Turning his head slowly, very slowly, to the side, he observed his surroundings. A small window, a tiny chair that only a child could fit in, health posters on beige walls, and two vase of flowers that had his name enscripted onto a tag: _Tetsuya Kuroko._

He turned his head to the other side and found the monitor that caused the endless beeping. There was a computer next to him, and a clipboard on a little table. He looked at his left arm and closed his eyes when he saw the IV. Needles were something he could not handle. It was not because of the pain—Kuroko could handle that—but it was simply the thought of a tube-like needle inserted into his skin. With an IV it was worse, as some type of liquid was flowing through his bloodstream.

_I am in a hospital?_

The teal-head opened his eyes and lifted his head. A pair of golden-brown eyes met his. Kuroko hadn't noticed him at all.

Kise sat there, shocked and pale, his chapped lips partly open because he didn't know what else to do. His blonde hair was extremely dishevelled from sleeping left and right on the large recliner. Dark circles were painted under his eyes, unbefitting for a model. He had woken up from his restless sleep at the sound of slight movement on the bed. It looked like he was right to wake up, since he was now the first one Kuroko would greet.

"K—Kurokocchi?" he rasped and then cleared his dry throat.

Kuroko blinked from his pillow. "Kise . . . –kun?"

"Kurokocchi!" Kise almost yelled and scrambled from his chair. Kuroko winced at the sound. Aomine, whom the teal-haired teen just noticed—popped open his eyes at the name and looked around in wonder. When his gaze locked with Kuroko's, his dark blue eyebrows shot upward.

It was after that Kuroko realized almost everybody was here. The Generation of Miracles, Kagami, and his father. They were all sprawled across the room; two on the mini couch, one on the floor, one sitting against the wall, one on the recliner, and two on the extra comfy chairs.

Kise rushed over to Kuroko's bedside and leaned over the injured boy. "Are you okay, Kurokocchi? No, that's a stupid question, of course you're not! Well, are you pain? Haru-san told the doctors to give you lo-o-ts of anesthetics, but I'm not sure if they helped. Are you numb? I think you should be numb. If not, I can—"

Aomine cuffed Kise gently on the back of his head. "Give him some space. He just woke up. Oi, Tetsu, you in pain or anything?"

Kuroko was dizzy from the onslaught of comments. _So that is why I feel numb._

"I—am fine," Kuroko tried to say, wondering why his throat was so dry and scratchy. "Why am I here?"

The two tilted their heads in unison. "You mean you don't remember?" Aomine questioned.

"Wha—you know my name, right, Kurokocchi? What's my full name?"

A load groan emitted from a tall body somewhere. Three heads turned to look at the intruder. It was Murasakibara, who was stretched on a couch that did not fit his body at all. He rubbed his eyes sleepily. "Eh-h, what's going on, Kise-chin? Mine-chin?" The purple-head rubbed his eye one more time—he also had dark circles—before opening them to stare at the commotion. When he looked at an awake Kuroko, his face lit up. "Kuro-chin?"

"Murasakibara, go to sleep. You only had an hour's sleep yesterday," Midorima grumbled and sighed from being disturbed from his uncomfortable rest. Once awake, he would stay awake.

"But Mido-chin," Murasakibara started

"It's your turn to get the distasteful hospital food, today, so get some rest," Midorima interrupted, ran a hand over his face, and patted the table beside him to grab his glasses. Putting them on, his vision of Kuroko cleared, and he froze. " . . . Kuroko?"

"Everybody, shut up," Kagami snapped and sat upright on the couch. "Seriously, I don't get enough sleep-"

"Kurokocchi is awake!"

"_What?" _He swiveled toward the silent teal-head. "He is awake! Why didn't you wake me up before?"

Haru was the next to wake from the commotion. He pressed his palms against his face and sighed. "Mina-san, please be quiet. I understand it is uncomfortable, but . . ."

"Kuro-chin's awake though~"

"Yes, yes, Murasakibara-kun, but—What did you say?"

"Your son is awake, Haru-san."

Haru dropped his hands to his lap and whipped his head to the hospital bed. He locked eyes with his precious son's. "Tetsuya," he whispered. Tears sprung up to the man's eyes. "Tetsuya!"

Suddenly, Kuroko found himself wrapped into his father's arms. It was a gentle embrace, careful of all the unknown injuries he burdened and the IV hooked up to him. "Thank God," Haru sobbed quietly as he buried his face into Kuroko's hair and neck. "I was so worried—Oh, God, thank you."

"Otou-san," he said weakly and patted his father's back with his right hand, the one where needles were not poking him. "I am sorry for worrying you."

The father pulled back. "Are you hurting? I told the doctor to make sure you would not feel anything if you were to wake." Realization dawned on his face. "Ah! We need to inform the doctor!"

"I already did," Midorima said after pushing the assistance button. By this time, Kagami, Murasakibara, Aomine, Kise, and the green-head were crowded to the right of Kuroko's bed, while Haru was on the left. "The doctor did not mention if you could eat or drink anything, yet, so I advise you not to."

"But I wanted to share my snacks with Kuro-chin!"

"Later, Murasakibara."

"You really worried us there, Tetsu," Aomine grumbled. "It was a pain in the ass to sleep on those chairs."

Kagami added, "'Least you're okay, though. I told Seirin about your condition. 'Wasn't sure if I should tell them why you were in the hospital or not, so I lied to them. They sent you the flowers."

Kuroko looked at his father and gave a tiny frown. Haru smoothed out the furrow between his eyebrows, pressing a kiss to the pale boy's forehead. "What is it?"

"How is my," Kuroko hesitated. "condition? Why am I here?"

Midorima frowned and lightly touched his head. The teal-head winced. "They did not mention a concussion nor memory loss."

"You don't remember, Kurokocchi? I-Ibuki—"

The name made him remember. Oh, he remembered. Memories and shouts flooded his mind. It swarmed and swam through his thoughts; he almost felt the excrutiating pain that came from the memories. The insults, the hits, the attacks, the threats: Kuroko fingered his neck where his mother's hands wrapped around numerous times. He only remembered up to the part where Ibuki had taken out her weapon. After, it came blank.

"I see," he whispered. "I . . . I am alive, though."

"Of course you're alive," Haru said fiercely. He put two hands on each side of his son's cheeks. "Did you give up fighting Ibuki, knowing you would die? Did you, Tetsuya? Did you simply give up to die? Please—don't tell me that."

Kuroko didn't answer. And he was saved from answering when a couple knocks pounded on the door, and a doctor came inside. "I see you're awake," he greeted. "I'm Doctor Hideyoshi. I have been taking care of you for the past three days."

_Three days?_

The doctor leaned down and carefully put two fingers against Kuroko's taped wrist. "Your pulse is fine on the monitor. I'm just checking to be sure." He also put his other hand on Kuroko's forehead. "Temperature seems fine, and your oxygen levels are even. Are you in pain?"

"I'm not," he breathed.

"Good. From all those anesthetics I gave you, I would hope you feel numb. Are you hungry?"

To be honest, Kuroko wasn't. He voiced this.

Everybody protested at that. "You have to eat, Kurokocchi!"

The doctor smiled. "You have good friends. I will have someone bring you some bread, later, is that okay?" Kuroko reluctantly nodded. "I'm going to check your blood pressure, and then see if any of your bandages have to be change. A person will be coming in an hour to do some tests to know that you don't have memory loss or anything else of that sort."

While the doctor wrapped the blood-pressure material around his right arm, Kuroko asked quietly, "How is my condition?"

"Ah, they have not told you?"

"I felt like you could explain it better, Doctor," Haru pressed his lips together.

"Hm, well, to put it bluntly," Doctor Hideyoshi turned to the monitor, and the blood-pressure material started to squeeze painfully on Kuroko's arm. "You could have died." The air in the room got tense. "Your wounds, and by police officers whom have inspected the area, showed resistance—that you struggled against the attacks. If you hadn't had fought back . . ." he pursed his lips. "Your injuries were much more severe on the first day. You fell into a coma an hour and a half later after we received you at the hospital. Many minor scratches that were easy to take care of, but there were two main gashes that made us worry."

The doctor leaned over and lightly touched Kuroko's right shoulder. "From here," he then touched to Kuroko's abdomen, "to here, there was a large wound inflicted by a small blade. And from here," his finger traced over to Kuroko's left collar-bone and his left breast. "To here, there was also a deep wound inflicted by a blade. It nearly punctured a lung, and you're lucky it didn't damage your heart. No vital organs had been damaged. We managed to stitch both wounds."

He sighed and snapped on some gloves. "As for your bones; none of your bones in your arms or wrists are broken nor sprained. However, we found three of your ribs broken, and your leg is snapped. You'll be on crutches for awhile, if you're released from the hospital soon. No concussions nor brain damage. You will have permanent scars from the injuries inflicted by the blade."

Kuroko closed his eyes. He would have another reminder on his body of what his mother did to him.

"Several bruises have already appeared on your body, and we have tried to ice many of your body parts to ease it. Your head was damaged severely from multiple crashes against the brick walls, according to police reports. No stitches were needed, but it's a wonder how you did not get a concussion." The doctor slowly opened his hospital gown to take a quick peek at his multiple bandages. "Your bandages look fine. I'll have someone check on you in a few hours to see if it needs to be changed."

Kuroko's gown was closed, and the blank was set back up to his chest. Hideyoshi leaned over and smiled. "Do you have any other questions regarding your condition?"

"How," the teen paused, but then continued, "How did I get here? O-Okaa-san, what-"

"I believe that is your friends' or father's job to answer that." The doctor checked his blood pressure again before taking it off his patient's arms and taking off his gloves. "Everything looks fine for now. If you need anything, just press the assisstance button. Someone will be running tests on you in an hour, and your light snack will come, soon." Hideyoshi quietly left and clicked the door shut.

It was silent in the room. Kuroko stared at his hands. He had been in a coma . . . for three days. The reality just couldn't catch on to him.

"Kuro-chin," Murasakibara started.

"How did I get here?" he asked quietly.

Aomine crossed his arms. "Akashi. I don't know how, but he realized Ibuki took you away. He contacted all of us. The rest of us found you unconcious in his arms."

_Akashi-kun. _Kuroko's blank eyes widened. How could he forget? How could he forget the one and only person he should be thanking and apologizing to the most? Was his former captain even here? He looked behind the tall Generation of Miracles to see if the red-head was there, but he couldn't tell.

"Akashi-kun . . ."

"I am here."

All six heads turned to Akashi. He was the one sitting on the floor with his back against the wall, hidden in the corner comfortably. His hetero-colored eyes stared cooly at his former teammates. Unlike the others, he did not have bags under his eyes, but it didn't mean he slept more than them. In fact, if you asked the Generation of Miracles, they would probably say he slept less than all of them combined.

Truth be told, Akashi was actually the first one to wake up. The red-head had always been a light sleeper, so at the sound of slight shuffling on the bed had him wide awake. Kise woke up shortly after, and the rest followed. He had decided to let them have their moment of time, as he waited on the floor, one knee propped to his chest, and an arm laying comfortably across it. Until just a few seconds ago, Akashi hadn't made a sound while the rest were being united with Kuroko.

"Akashi-kun," Kuroko called again and tried to sit up, but the pain in his body warned him not to.

"Lay back down," Akashi ordered sharply. Kuroko obeyed. The former captain stood up gracefully and gave a hard gaze to the people surrounding Kuroko. "Everyone, I'd like for you to step out for a few moments."

Most protested.

"But Akashicchi!"

"Aka-chin," Murasakibara frowned.

"But Tetsu just woke up!"

"_Everyone,_" Akashi repeated. "I'd like for you to step out for a few moments."

They didn't bother protesting the second time. Even Haru gave another kiss to Kuroko's forehead before discreetly nodding to Akashi, and then headed out for the door. Murasakibara sulked through, but his face turned happy when Akashi threw him a bag of chili-and-lemon flavored chips.

Kagami was the last one out. He made sure to slam the door a little louder than needed.

Akashi shook his head slightly and approached the hospitalized teen. He gave no emotion to the bandages and needles hooked up to Kuroko, and only leaned over to cradle the pale boy's head with his hands. His face came close to Kuroko's.

"Are you in pain?" Akashi asked the repeated question. "Do not lie."

"My body really does feel numb, Akashi-kun." Kuroko didn't protest to Akashi's cold hands. He leaned into one of them and sighed. "Akashi-kun, I—"

"If an apology is about to escape from your mouth, be silent." The red-head slid the hand that Kuroko was not leaning against and traced the collar-bone wound with it. "You do not have anything to apologize for."

Kuroko fought a frown, knowing that anything he was going to say was not going to change Akashi's mind. "Then, thank-"

A slender finger pressed against his chapped lips. "That goes for gratitude as well."

The passer grabbed the tracing hand with his right and finally frowned. Akashi raised an eyebrow, daring for him to disobey. When Kuroko didn't speak, Akashi did, "If there is anyone who should apologize, that would be me."

Kuroko protested, "You of all people shouldn't apologize, Akashi-kun. It was my fault . . ." his voice faltered at the hard stare Akashi gave him.

"Under my care, you were injured," he said tersely. "Severely. By Ibuki, no less. I should have never permitted you to go alone that day."

"Okaa-san is unpredicatable," Kuroko defended. "You would not have known if she would attack me or not. It was four minutes."

Akashi felt a hard squeeze on his hand and raised a questioning eyebrow at the teal-head. "I am Akashi Seijuro. I am supposed to know my opponent's movements, especially in your _mother's _case." The tone in his voice told Kuroko not to argue anymore.

Kuroko gave an internal sigh and turned his head, only to wince at his IV and turn back. Akashi's hand was still on his cheek, while the other was in Kuroko's hands. "What will happen to Okaa-san?"

"Police officers came to the scene at the same time the medics did," Akashi answered. "The little damage I did to her healed in a day, and she was quickly trialed for attempted murder the next day. She was proven guilty."

The shorter of the two sucked in his breath in shock. His mother? Found guilty? Was that possible? What happened to her lawyer? "Then that means . . .?"

"Her sentences were not made public, as she requested a private hearing. Mother acted as the prosecutor at the trial. Father was her attorney. I only served as a witness." Akashi pulled his hands away for a minute to grab a chair and smoothly glide it over next to the bed. He sat down and placed his hand again for Kuroko to grasp. "I know, however, she will be spending most of her time in jail. Because the offense was aimed at you, the abuse charge was fully evidenced, and she was also found guilty in that charge. Her attorney could not do anything but have her plead guilty in the attempted murder trial."

The seemingly-emotionless teen laid still—stiller than he already was, since he couldn't move much with the needles inside him—and tried to process the information slowly. His mother lost. His mother, the most powerful and influential woman in Japan, lost. Was this a dream?"

"It's over?" Kuroko whispered.

"Yes. It's over."

"It's . . . over."

"Yes."

"It's over."

Akashi leaned forward close to Kuroko's face and ran a hand through his teal locks. The red-head pressed his lips against shocked ones. "Yes, Tetsuya. It is over."

Blue eyes stared into red-and-yellow. Water droplets collected in the blue eyes, and Akashi's pale thumbs wiped them away before they could spill. "It is finished, Tetsuya," he leaned to murmur in his partner's ears. "Your father has already filed a divorce, and Mother is having it approved very soon. He has also been looking for a new house to move in." Akashi pressed another soft kiss on his lips. "You are starting over."

Kuroko was only able to respond to yet another chaste kiss to his lips.

Three knocks interrupted their time. Kise's head popped inside the room nervously. "Uh, Akashicchi? Can—can we come in now?" He 'eeped' and ducked, expecting a pair of scissors to come flying out of nowhere and attach itself to his beautiful forehead. Surprisingly, nothing came his way.

Akashi's eyes held dark amusement at Kise's reaction. "Yes, you may come in."

"Err, but Murasakicchi just brought Himuro-san. He wants him to come inside, too."

"Taiga's adopted brother and Mother? It will be crowded."

"The doctor said that Kurokocchi's condition is stable now, so he can have up to 11 visitors at a time, since the capacity is thirteen visitors."

The captain pinched the bridge of nose. "Let them."

Abruptly, the door opened widely, and many tall teenagers bombarded into the room. The first was Kagami, Midorima, Kise, Aomine, Haru, Rin, and lastly, Murasakibara, who came in dragging a familiar teen that Kuroko had only met twice: Himuro Tatsuya, Kagami's older adoptive brother.

"Himuro-san," Kuroko greeted weakly. It was all he could afford.

"Hello," Tatsuya gave him a polite smile, only remembering one encounter with Kuroko, instead of two.

"He's awake, and no one informed me?" Rin demanded as she stomped over to the injured boy. "Tell me, Tetsuya-kun, are you hurt? Did my son do something to you? He can be a brat, I know."

"I remember the many times you defended me for _not_ being a brat since I was raised by you, Mother," Akahsi countered.

"I don't remember saying that."

Kuroko blinked. "I am fine, thank you, Rin-san."

"Muro-chin," Murasakibara 'whispered'. Everybody could hear. "I ran out of snacks." He had already eaten the bag of chips by Akashi.

"I already told you I am not spending my own money to buy you more snacks."

"But Muro-chin . . . I ran out of snacks."

Tatsuya stubbornly looked away.

"Muro-chin . . . Muro-chin . . . Muro-ch-i-i-n, I ran out of snacks . . . Muro-chin!"

"All right!" Tatsuya dug into his pocket and grabbed out ninety-three yen. He then grasped Murasakibara's large hand and firmly placed it in his palm. "There's a vending machine down the hallway. You can only buy one."

Murasakibara's eyes sparkled. "Hai~" He bounded out the room.

"Atsushi."

The purple-head stopped and turned to greet his former captain. "Aka-chin?"

"What do you say?"

Murasakibara scrunched his eyebrows childishly. "Oh, thank you, Muro-chin~!" Then he was gone.

Aomine shook his head. Midorima pushed up his glasses, used to the tallest's antics. Kagami raised his eccentric eyebrows, surprised to see that someone actually pushed his childhood friend and brother to his limit. But the tall red-head's attention was stolen by Kuroko's and Akashi's entwined hands.

"Seriously, what's the relationship between you two? You never really answered Kise's question."

"Huh?" Kise snapped his head up at his name. "Oh! Yeah, Akashicchi! Kurokocchi! You never answered my question!" He excitedly bounded over next to Kuroko. "Are you two dating?"

"Ryouta," Akashi warned.

"It's a harmless question," Kise defended. Aomine voiced his agreement.

Rin scoffed. "Isn't it obvious? Of course they're dating. They've been together since weeks ago."

"Ehh?" Everybody voiced, except for Haru and Midorima.

Kuroko's ears turned a light pink. Haru looked amazed, since he never saw his son blush that pink, before. He chuckled and rubbed his son's head before kissing his cheek. "As long as you are happy," Haru whispered into his ear.

Kagami only looked down. "Damn, lost my chance," he grumbled. "'Was too late."

This time, a pair of scissors did fly through the air and grazed Kagami's cheek, lodging itself accurately on a person's forehead on a poster in the wall. Kagami froze.

"Too late for what, Taiga?" Akashi murmured. "Surely, you weren't _ever_ thinking of taking Tetsuya away, were you?"

"N-no," he stuttered.

"That_ is_ what I thought," he said smoothly and turned his body back to Kuroko.

Aomine patted Kagami's back.

Kuroko kept quiet, forcing himself to rid of his blush. Akashi smirked.

**~Setting and Time Skip~**

"Careful," Akashi said. He held open the car door and grabbed the outstretched pale hand. Some crutches stuck out from the entrance. A basketball shoe worn by someone also peeked from the car. The red-head bent down and wrapped an arm around Kuroko's shoulder to help the injured out. Kuroko, a large boot on his heavily-bandaged leg, jumped out on his good leg and leaned into his partner's body for support. The cold air felt good against his skin. Akashi pressed his face against Kuroko's hair and breathed in discreetly. Kuroko, however, noticed and fought a blush. "Akashi-kun," he inaudibly protested.

"Hm." He grabbed the crutches from the car and, instead of handing them to Kuroko, threw them to a waiting Aomine, who scrambled to catch them.

"I need those, Akashi-kun."

"You have three broken ribs. No doubt they have already mostly healed from your time in the hospital, but they are still tender. Your stitches might open. Don't be reckless." Then Akashi did the unthinkable to Kuroko. He bent down and _scooped up_ Kuroko _bridal style_. Immediately, the teal-head struggled.

"Put me down, Akashi-kun. This is not necessary."

"Tetsuya." Kuroko ceased his struggling. "I want you to do something."

He gave Akashi a questioning look. It wasn't often his former captain actually requested an action, or maybe this wasn't a request.

"What is it, Akashi-kun?"

"Will you repeat after me?"

"Repeat . . . ?" Kuroko nodded slowly. "I can."

"Say," he started.

"Say . . ."

"Jer."

"Jer."

"Row."

Kuroko blinked. "Row."

Akashi smirked. "Say it all at once, now."

"Seijuro," Kuroko obeyed. Then stopped. Then blushed. Then ducked his head against Akashi's shoulder. "That was unfair, Akashi-kun."

The red-head shook his head. "Seijuro," he corrected. "You will call me by that name from now on." He started walking toward the desired entrance after closing the door. The driver backed out and drove away once he did. Aomine, Midorima, and Murasakibara awaited before them.

"That's impossible."

"We will work on it."

Midorima didn't comment at how Kuroko was being carried. He only gave a small nod to Akashi, a signal to show that everything was ready. Aomine also nodded. Murasakibara only munched happily on his cracker stick and waved to Kuroko. The red-head saw the nods, but didn't acknowledge them. He walked up the foreign porch steps and approached the large, wooden door.

Just as Akashi reached the anonymous door, it swung open, and a clean, shaven Kuroko Haru appeared on the threshold. His brown eyes glowed warmly in happiness. He looked at his son, and smiled.

"Welcome home, Tetsuya."

Kuroko looked up into his new house, and turned to his father. He gave a slight smile.

"I'm home, Otou-san."

* * *

Well! I definitely was able to update faster than my usual weekly update. I think it was because I was excited to write this chapter. Only one or two more chapters left :') This has been an awesome journey with everybody! You've given me so much support; thank you! Really, thank you :)

Please tell me of mistakes!

~Virelei


	24. Epilogue

**Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form**

**Epilogue**

"You should not push yourself."

Akashi grabbed the injured teen around the waist to help him hop over to the couch and sit. Kuroko slowly settled himself on the brand-new couch and winced when a pain in his abdomen flared up. Akashi noticed the flinch. "Are you in pain? Your father has the prescribed medicine for you."

"I am fine," Kuroko said. "I only need a small break right now."

The Generation of Miracles were throwing a welcoming party for Kuroko. It wasn't exactly a party_, per se_, but there was vanilla cake, Seirin's basketball team came, and there were decorations. Seirin had made a big deal of seeing Kuroko after what seemed like weeks (it probably was weeks, but with Kuroko's fuzzy mind, he couldn't remember). His coach had hugged him as tightly as she could without reopening his wounds, and told him she was sorry for the car accident. Kuroko, knowing this was the lie Kagami came up with, only nodded and greeted everybody politely.

The boys of Seirin didn't take Akashi too well. Then again, anybody outside the Generation of Miracles, Rakuzan and his parents didn't take the red-head well, either. Hyuuga took one look at the short captain before raising two incredulous eyebrows. "You're the crazy and possessive one from last time!"

The Generation of Miracles stopped their chatter. Movements stilled. Slowly, one by one, each colored head turned to stare at the daring captain of Seirin. Rin and Hayato gave Hyuuga a gaze of disbelief, wondering if there was any other person in the world as stupid as Hyuuga. Haru pretended not to hear anything and left to tend to his new kitchen, not wanting to be part of the soon-to-be-disaster. Everybody but Kuroko and Akashi in the room waited with bated breath. Seirin held their breath, too, feeling the sudden tense and frightening atmosphere. Kuroko scrunched his eyebrows at Hyuuga.

_You will be remembered, Senpai, _the injured boy thought.

Akashi and Kuroko left a groaning and moaning Hyuuga in the living room and made their way toward the stairs. The teal-haired teen hadn't been able to explore the rest of the new house, so he was going to take the opportunity to see his room.

"Tetsuya?" Haru rushed over to his son at the foot of the stairs. "Are you all right? Do you want to rest?"

"I'm fine, Otou-san," Kuroko assured him. "I want to see my room."

"Ah," his father nodded. "It's up the stairs and first door to the left. Catherine-san helped me decorate it, since I don't know how to decorate appropriately myself." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Do you want me to help you up?"

Kuroko shook his head and leaned agaist Akashi. The taller teen welcomed him. "Akashi-kun will help me. Otou-san should get back to cooking. I smell something burning."

The father widened his eyes, realizing his American dish he was trying to cook was still frying on the pan. "Oh! You're right. Akashi-kun, can you give Tetsuya his prescribed medicine once he gets to his room? It should be on the desk. He needs it at this hour." Haru turned to rush back to the kitchen where the burning arome was emitted. He didn't see the slight nod of Akashi.

"What do you think you are doing, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko froze, his good foot on the first step, while a hand held onto the railing for support. "Going to my room?"

Akashi observed him. Then shook his head. "You are not going up the stairs on your own." The red-head bent down.

Kuroko, aware at what he was about to do, immediately tried to recoil. He couldn't do much, though, because of his broken leg. "No, Akashi-kun! Don't—" He did it anyway. Akashi swooped up his partner easily and carried Kuroko in his arms. The teal-head struggled half-heartedly, knowing he wouldn't win. "Your actions are extremely dislikeable," Kuroko stated with a frown.

His former captain smirked. "Are they?"

"Hai."

Entering the destined room, Akashi shook his head and laid Kuroko gently on the blue bed. The smaller teen readjusted himself so that he was sitting against the wall with multiple pillows against his injured back. This gave him a good view of his room.

It was simple. It was blue. It was basketball-styled.

It was what Kuroko wanted.

_I will have to thank Catherine-san later, _he noted.

"Take it and drink, Tetsuya," Akashi ordered. He held out three pills, powdered medicine, and a glass of water. "The directions states to take one at a time. It also says to take all of the powdered medicine." He raised an expectant eyebrow at Kuroko. The red-head knew Kuroko disliked powdered medicine the most.

Kuroko held in a small grimace and took the pills first, one by one. He then opened the packet carefully.

"All of it."

His right blue eye twitched in annoyance. He poured the whole thing in his mouth before quickly downing the water to avoid the taste. However, after he swallowed, some of the taste lingered on his tongue. "That should not exist," Kuroko stated blandly as he handed the packet back to Akashi to throw away.

"Hm." The red-head threw the trash in a nearby trash-can before joining Kuroko on his soft, new bed. He too readjusted himself until it was his chest Kuroko was leaning against. Their position was typical; Kuroko was inbetween Akashi's legs with his back against the red-head's chest. Akashi had his arms wrapped gently around Kuroko's waist. "Are you in pain?"

"Akashi-kun, I'm fine."

"Seijuro."

"I won't call you Seijuro."

"Oh?" Akashi leaned forward so that Kuroko could see his face. "Tetsuya, are you disobeying me?"

He stared stubbornly at the smirking face. Akashi took it to his advantage and stole the chapped lips softly. Kuroko, taken by surprise, could only kiss back at the last second. "You can't always do that, Akashi-kun," he said once they pulled back.

"Do what, Tetsuya?"

"Don't act innocent."

"I am acting innocent?" Honestly, nobody could put the words 'innocent' and 'Akashi' in the same sentence.

Kuroko didn't answer and only leaned his back carefully, more against Akashi's body. The red-head responded with a light kiss to his teal locks. They sat in a comfortable silence until Kuroko broke it with a quiet voice, "Akashi-kun . . . I am thinking of visiting Okaa-san. In the prison."

Akashi's grip on Kuroko tightened subtly. "They will not permit her visitors unless she is on good behavior and is stable. I doubt that will happen soon."

"I know, but," Kuroko pressed his lips together. "I . . . just want to see, even after a few years, if she would remember me. . . . If she regrets that . . ." his voice trailed off.

"Tetsuya, I will say this now, and I will say it again, no matter how cruel." Akashi tilted Kuroko's head with two fingers under his chin. "Kuroko Ibuki, a person who does not deserve the title 'Okaa-san' as you call her, does not care, and shall not care for you. She will care for herself, and she will live that way behind the bars we have put her in. Any kind act she puts for you, or to anyone, will only be an ambition for herself. Do not even think of forgiving her for the scars she has put onto you." Akashi lightly traced the stitched gash on his collar bone. His red-and-yellow eyes hardened. "Understand?"

Kuroko casted his eyes. "Hai," he quietly replied.

Akashi captured his lips. Kuroko didn't respond at first, but he soon gave in to the heated lips of Akashi's. He tilted his head hesitantly, and grabbed onto Akashi's shoulder to steady himself. The red-head responded by pulling him closer. "Do not worry yourself over trivial matters," Akashi murmured against his lips. "Sevaine Ibakmi is someone who is condemned by Mother and Father. Your father has bought a new house, the three corporations will be split between three people, Ryouta's parents have now regained their lives back, and I believe a person named _Adela Catherine_ is taking interest in your father."

Kuroko widened his eyes ever so slightly. "Catherine-san. . .?"

"It's over, Tetsuya," Akashi leaned his head against Kuroko's. "Rid yourself of that woman. Your life will start here. You will be with me. No one will dare to hurt you, again."

Kuroko felt an extremely heavy burden lifting from his shoulders. He felt light, and he felt relieved—more so than at the hospital. Something had been holding him back, and it was his denial of his mother's situation. He collapsed against Akashi and grasped the back of his red shirt.

Kuroko closed his eyes. He inhaled the distinctive scent of his lover's.

Then exhaled.

"Hai, Akashi-kun."

_Fin._

* * *

It's finished! After three months, it is finished! My first every fanfiction: Completed. While some people thought it would be best to just end it at the last chapter, there were a few loose strings I did not tighten (I tightened them in this chapter ;)) that I could not leave unresolved. A finished story should not have any loose strings!

First off, I would like to thank EVERY ONE OF YOU! I am so glad I have so many supportive fans, and I hope each of you had received a message from me. (If you haven't, message me! I will definitely be glad to talk to you :D). The poll I put up on my profile received positive results, and I am just so extremely happy I had many nice and supporting fans :)

I will be starting new Kuroko no Basuke stories! If you have an idea, message me, and I'll see what I can do with writing it :) I do have two stories in mind, though! Please participate on the poll in my page, so that I have a feel on which pairing is popular among Kuroko no Basuke fanfictions!

Once, again, thank you so very, very much.

And thus, I hereby announce, Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form, finished. =]

See ya soon!

~Virelei


	25. Story Statistics

**Story Statistics ~ Small continuation of Betrayal in Its Most Simplest Form**

Hello! It's been awhile, Betrayal Fans :) My deepest appreciation to all of you whom have reviewed, read, and/or supported me throughout the way for this story. I have learned a lot writing my first fanfiction, and I'm glad it turned out to be such a huge success! I'm now on my way writing another long fanfiction, Whispering Fireworks.

I planned to do this for Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form, but I wanted to give more readers settled. As I still read the oncoming reviews, I've noticed a pattern in a flaw I've been criticized on: Kuroko's weak personality. And so, because I don't want this to be an author's note (against the rules, anyway), I will show you the statistics I had in mind for this story.

And . . . sigh, because some people might have been excited I was suddenly writing again for this story, I did write a small continuous Betrayal at the end to satisfy you guys. I'm sorry to say there will be no sequel. I did realize this story is still the second-most popular story by reviews for the Kuroko no Basuke fandom ^^, and I noticed my story was asked around in Tumblr xD Thank you guys. Thank you so very much.

**Scroll all the way at the end if you want to simply read the part I wrote as a continuation of Betrayal.**

**Kuroko Tetsuya:**

Age: 16

Height: 168 cm (Around 5'5" – 5'6")

The analyzation of Kuroko is soley based on the fact that he's abused. He's _abused_. Character development and traits are changed drastically on just that one point. Many have said he acted too weak, too 'submissive', but I do think we should take into account he is abused.

Abuse changes many people. The most likely reaction it would do to the victim would be seclusion. Their state of mind would not allow them to speak up, fight, or simply relax. Kuroko's immediate character change from fierce to weak is not surprising. His mother hurts him.

This is why I also wanted to incorporate Akashi's instructional skills on Aikido, a Japanese martial arts. To have the courage to stand up to your daily attacker is something that's an accomplishment to the victim, and I wanted Kuroko to have some of that 'deadpan, fierce' original character to him. With the past abuse, however, Kuroko will not be the same in my story.

Kuroko was very willing to go along with Akashi—some might even say 'submissive' (though I woudn't use that word to describe him). An abused victim usually clings on to a supporter that could help them, if they had not given up already. Akashi ignitioned the struggle towards Ibuki, and therefore, Akashi will be the one Kuroko leans onto.

So, in argument, no, I do not think Kuroko was too weak in this story. He _had_ to be weak in order to have Akashi play a role and to fit the role of an abused son. I can't make this unrealistic and have Kuroko be beaten up to encounter death every time, but act normal right after.

Of course, there are still many flaws I can fix in Kuroko's character, which I may be doing when I finish my other stories. Betrayal in its Most Simplest Form was a test run, a fanfiction I wanted to play around with, and I'm extremely glad people enjoyed it :)

* * *

**Akashi Seijuro**

Age: 16

Height: 173 cm (5'6"-5'7")

In the beginning, I made Akashi way too much of a caring character. I cringe as I read the beginnings of my chapters. I soon realized he was a little out of character, and tried to harden him and create him to be stronger. There were many times where I took it too far because, well, Akashi's my favorite character xD I started fangirling, and the likes, and I seriously was excited to write him. Especially now! Have you read the latest Kuroko no Basuke chapters? Sigh, so many AkaKuro moments.

Putting two OCs (Hayato and Rin) helped with Akashi's character development because they both were lawyers. Having Akashi as the prosecutor was a bit of a stretch, but this is fiction, haha. And there are cases teenagers can be a prosecutor, given the circumstances. His parents were influential lawyers as well.

It was hard at first to write Akashi since he's such a comlex character. He's caring for his teammates (Kuroko no Basuke game), yet he can be ruthless. I had to get used to having ONLY him calling the Miracles' by their full, first names (Woo, did you guys hound me for that xD), but it's now fun writing him :D

* * *

After this point, characters are in alphabetical order by last name. My OC's have more statistics and traits to them :)

* * *

**Adela Catherine (Soon to be Kuroko Catherine)**

Age: 33 years old

Height: 169 centimers (5'6")

Food likes: Sansai udon

Food dislikes: Sashimi

Likes: Haru, Kuroko, cooking, modeling

Dislikes: Abuse, computer work, stress

Family: Only child to mother and father

I wanted a female character that could be compatible and close to Haru. After all, Haru deserves a woman that cares, right? She was one of the supporting characters of Haru's side that helped with the statements, and I found it fun to write her with Kuroko and Haru.

Cough, and some of you have seen the 'Kuroko-to'be". I wonder why?

* * *

**Akashi Hayato**

Age: 39 years old

Height: 186 cm (Around 6'1")

Food likes: Anything healthy.

Food dislikes: Sweets

Likes: Practicing law, seeing his son, intimidating people, his wife (when she's in a good mood)

Dislikes: People who underestimate him/too full of themselves, working out (yet he's athletic), being called old

Family: His son and wife

Occupation: Most influential attorney in Japan, owns biggest law industry in Japan

I loved writing about Hayato! I needed to enforce Akashi's character by building a background, and what's better than introducing his parents! I didn't want Akashi's scissor-crazy, dominating personality come from his father, since that'd be a little cliche. I still wanted Hayato to be a strong character, though, so I hope I did establish that. It seemed many people were fans of Akashi's parents, haha, so thank you!

* * *

**Akashi Rin**

Age: 37 years old

Height: 178 cm (5'10" ish)

Food likes: Spicy curry rice

Food dislikes: Bitter foods

Likes: Practicing law, butter knives, having people bow down to her, running, her son (there are some exceptions to this), and her husband (again, some exceptions)

Dislikes: Brats, abusive people, disobedience, lies, PDA

Family: One mother alive, husband, and son.

Rin was very exciting to write, and many people liked her. Akashi got most of his personality definitely with Rin, and she played a major role in taking that Ibuki bitc—Ibuki down. I played her as a strong attorney that got what she wanted. I loved writing her and developing her.

* * *

**Atsushi Murasakibara**

Age: 16

Height: 208 cm (6'10")

I had so much fun with Murasakibara 3 Seriously, the huge baby of the Kiseki no Sedai, haha. A lumpish, childish, yet sadistic teen that likes to eat sweets is very easy to write, and I'm glad for that! I love Murasakibara's childish aspect, and it does provide some relaxing relief in the story.

I also had to take Murasakibara's slightly sadistic side into play. Murasakibara, after all, is no angel. Ah, how I loved to have Murasakibara insist Ibuki be left in the alley to die. He contributed to the hatred of Ibuki greatly.

* * *

**Daiki Aomine**

Age: 16

Height: 192 cm (6'3")

Aomine was easy to use for comedy relief, haha. I mean, I really dislike reading all-angst stories that just suck the soul out of me and have me depressed for a couple of hours. Aomine's doom with Akashi was a better way to create laughs.

He supported Kise greatly in Kise's crisis, and I did think he was more of the 'manipulate-photos' person out of the rest of the Kiseki no Sedai, so I had the job handed to Kise and him.

* * *

**Kagami Taiga**

Age: 16

Height: 190 cm (6'2")

At first, he was simply a character that the Generation of Miracles looked down upon and found him nosy. I had to put him as a helper though, because he's Kuroko new light. He's an important character to Kuroko. And, knowing his American background, I decided he was the most useful to American connections.

Honestly, I think I wouldn't have found a way to expose Ibuki like the way I did with Kagami. He created a route for Akashi to find out about Ibuki's hidden past. He's extremely important, and he created the opening Akashi needed.

* * *

**Kise Ryouta**

Age: 16

Height: 189 cm (6'2")

I had to have another victim doomed to Ibuki to show Ibuki was a real threat to worry about. Who else would fit the role than Kise? xD Kise was so very easy to pick on, and he did provide comedy relief, along with Aomine and Kagami. I am an AoKise fan (because Aomine and Kise are not in the way for AkaKuro :)), so I wanted the two of them helping on the Ibuki case together.

People have also claimed Kise was a little too weak, and I do agree with that point in some aspects. It's my mistake on that part, but I also imagine Kise as a goofy, friendly teen that is only serious when it comes to basketball. Ibuki attacked him as well, so I wanted to foreshadow the vulnerable . . . ness. It was really exciting to write him and Aomine!

The chapter where Ibuki beat Kuroko badly in the alley (court-scene), I immediately switched to Kise's POV. It felt like the most fitting character to turn to in the numbing situation. It made a huge impact on the fans—I'm so glad :O—and I'm happy I got a few tears, haha. He really affected that chapter, and it was difficult to write that part.

* * *

**Kuroko Haru**

Age: 36 years old

Height: 175 centimeters (5'7")

Food likes: Anything

Food dislikes: Nothing really

Likes: His son, family time, cooking, basketball, crafts, drawing

Dislikes: Ibuki, working, laziness, abusive people

Family: His son

There are many parents out there that are in Haru's shoes right now. Their child could be beaten in front of their eyes, and all they could do is throw themselves in the way long enough for their child to run away temporarily. They can't divorce in fear of a custody battle. I wanted Haru to be a strong, yet defenseless character. Ibuki is forcing him to stay with her because she wants Kuroko, and so he can't do anything to Ibuki without the fear of his son's wellbeing.

I liked writing Haru because he's a realistic character, and his love for Kuroko was touching to write about.

* * *

**Midorima Shintarou**

Age: 16

Height: 195 cm (6'4")

While Midorima was simply a side character, he did contribute quite a bit to the story. A researcher, an analyzer, and a Miracle himself, he offered support to Kuroko. I had fun with his 'tsundere' ways, haha. I also had him take part of the court section (giving his statements) because I did want to show he was there the whole way for Kuroko.

Also, the part where Akashi confronts Kuroko's mother in Seirin's gym, Midorima was there to offer medical aid. Ah, I love making him the doctor character. He does want to be a doctor, after all. And, the part—many fans claimed it was their favorite lines—where Midorima and Akashi claims Kuroko at the end of the chapter was a changing factor in Midorima's character.

He didn't have much parts, but he did contribute greatly to the story.

* * *

**Seirin High School**

People said Seirin almost had no part in this story, and it's true. I only included Kagami. The reason is because Seirin has too many character to take into account. Too many characters that I would have to find useless roles for them. The amount of characters I had were perfect enough to attack Ibuki. I didn't need anymore.

Seirin will probably never have a huge role in my stories, unless it's simply a basketball story. My Whispering Fireworks won't have a lot of Seirin either.

I realized my summary was misleading about Seirin, so I changed it :)

* * *

**To satisfy the lingering fans hoping this was some type of chapter, I did write a piece of writing, continuing Betrayal In Its Most Simplest Form. After this, there will be no more :')  
**

* * *

"I'm home," Kuroko called softly. He stepped inside his warm, large house and closed the door quietly behind him. His Seirin bag hung lazily on his shoulder; a basketball tucked neatly under his right arm. Minor sweat droplets clung to his forehead, produced from today's harsh basketball practice. He started to take off his dirty sneakers.

Catherine jumped up from the couch, spilling all papers and books that were on her lap to the floor. _Perfect Wedding Dresses _was written boldly on one of the papers. "Tetsu-kun!" Catherine exclaimed. "I didn't know you were coming home so early today. I didn't even cook dinner! Are you hungry? I can make a snack, or do you want something heavier? I knew I should have cooked earlier! I can make something microwaveable, or—"

"Catherine-san," Kuroko interrupted with a small smile. He walked across the living room and put one hand on Catherine's shoulder. "Please just focus on the wedding plans. Don't worry yourself; I'm not hungry."

The blond foreigner relaxed and sat back down on the couch. "Okay, but are you sure? You just came from practice."

Kuroko started to collect the fallen papers and books. He organized them before handing them back to Catherine. "If I'm hungry, I'll make myself a snack. Besides, Otou-san and I will get angry if you're stressed before the wedding."

"Yes, the angry duo," Catherine mockingly said with a smile. "But _I'll_ get angry if all you do is stuff yourself with vanilla shakes."

"I'll be in my room," Kuroko said in a voice that sounded like he did not hear the last sentence.

He was walking up the stairs when his father thundered down. "Tetsu," Haru greeted with surprise. "You're home early."

"I'm home," Kuroko greeted back.

Haru smiled warmly. He walked down the few steps to reach his son and planted a kiss on the pale forehead. "Welcome home. Do you want a snack?"

"No, thank you. More importantly, though, you have paint on your face, Otou-san." Kuroko passed his father easily up the stairs, leaving Haru to look for a mirror to wash the paint off.

In the few months they were free, both Haru's and Kuroko's life changed for the better. Haru immediately quit his job and started to draw and paint more often. He easily paid the house's rent through the money he earned through his drawings and from his new job, which gave him less hours for more pay. Kuroko healed without a problem from his injuries, and he started attending Seirin's basketball practices instantly when he was allowed to. He no longer had to cringe at the scars left made by his mother because the thought of Ibuki behind bars made him light and free.

Catherine and Haru started off slow. Haru, buried in divorce papers, was supported by Catherine throughout the way. She started to visit often and helped with the bills when Haru was still on the job hunt. She reconnected with Kuroko, and Haru found himself happy when the blond model was there. It took Kuroko's blunt order to get together for them to finally date. The proposal came later. While it seemed too early, Haru knew it was right.

Kuroko entered his room and dropped his bag into an empty corner. Then he flopped onto his bed, breathing out a large breath. He should probably take a bath, but that could wait.

Akashi spent more time than ever with Kuroko. With a two-hour train ride between each other, the redhead was determined to see Kuroko as much as possible. Akashi hinted more than once that attending Rakuzan would make the trips easier, but Kuroko was not compliant. Nevertheless, Kuroko was happy to see him, and Haru was more than willing to have the captain in his house.

"Tetsu? What do you want for dinner?" Haru called from the kitchen.

"Anything, Otou-san," Kuroko half-heartedly said back.

"So I can cook one of Akashi-kun's recipes he offered me?" his father had a teasing tone to his voice.

Kuroko furrowed his eyebrows. "Anything but those recipes."

While he was healing, Akashi was adamant in healthy meals. He showed Haru many American dishes to have Kuroko grow more, and nutritious plates that had no taste in the foods. Kuroko went without a vanilla shake for awhile.

A loud knock from his window had him sitting up from the bed. Speaking of Akashi. He padded his way over to the window and opened it widely, revealing a certain redhead comfortable on a tree branch. Akashi now made it a habit to climb his tree almost everyday, since his tree was much easier to climb.

"We have a door, Akashi-kun," Kuroko said, stepping back as Akashi swung his way inside. "Otou-san would be most appreciative if you'd use it."

Akashi wrapped one hand around Kuroko's hand and pulled him in. Their lips connected softly. Kuroko relaxed against his body, the hand around his head tightening its grip on his teal locks. The captain had to pull back first with a chuckle. "Seijuro," Akashi reminded. "I am starting to think you don't call me by my given name on purpose."

"Akashi-kun's given name is still too awkward to say." Kuroko touched his lips before settling down onto his bed again. "How is Kise-kun?"

"Ryouta's parents are now out of your mother's grasp," Akashi said. He made himself comfortable on the chair and rested his chin on his palm, scrutinizing Kuroko carefully. "Father has been working on their case. To compensate for their job's mistakes, they were promoted to a more favorable position." He suddenly narrowed his heterochromatic eyes. Kuroko shifted. "How much do you weigh, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko blinked. "Fifty-seven kilograms."

"So you have not been eating well," Akashi accused silkily.

"I've eaten enough."

"I can always have Daiki pick you up from Seirin's basketball practices," Akashi subtly threatened. "Have him take you to a restaurant everyday and have you eat nothing but nutritious meals. I could have him avoid this 'Maji-Burger' and refuse you of your favorite—"

"I'll eat more," Kuroko gave in. "There's no need to be drastic, Akashi-kun."

"Seijuro."

"Akashi-kun."

Light footsteps from the stairs interrupted Akashi's counter. "Tetsuya? Who are you talking—" Kuroko's bedroom door opened abruptly and revealed a curious Haru. He took one look at Akashi, then the window, and sighed. "We have a door, Akashi-kun," he said, exasperated.

"So I've been told," the redhead spoke. "Good evening, Haru-san."

Haru ran a hand through his hair. "Good evening. Do you want tea?"

"No, thank you. I would like to stay for dinner, however."

"Of course. I'll be making extra, then." He started to leave, but then paused to say, "Tetsuya, don't do anything inappropriate." Then he left, leaving the door wide open.

Kuroko blinked, confused. Akashi smirked. He stood from the chair then and sat at the edge of the bed. Kuroko took that as a signal, twisting to lay his head on Akashi's lap. The captain's scent filled his nose. "I came originally to give you this," Akashi said, almost reluctant. "Mother just received it today." He pulled out a packet of papers from his pocket and handed it to Kuroko. "It's your choice."

The tealhead held up the papers to his face to read. There were many law terms he did not understand, but it was enough to him to comprehend the message. His fists clenched, papers wrinkling in consequence. This can't be . . . why was it so early? Akashi gently uncurled his fists. "It seems Ibuki has been on more than exceptional behavior for the past few months. I suppose even in jail, her status exceeds my expectations. However she managed it, she is now allowed family visits." He ran a firm hand through Kuroko's hair in an act of comfort. "It is your choice, Tetsuya. Though I am not allowing you to go alone, should you decide to visit."

Kuroko stared blankly ahead. His mother was already given permission for family visits? What had she done? Bribed the officers? Threatened them? Did she have connections in jail? Kuroko could not believe his mother was on good behavior. It couldn't be; it wasn't in her nature. Anger and fear surged through him as flashes of Ibuki ran through his memory. No, she didn't even deserve this privilege yet.

Akashi raised an eyebrow as Kuroko started to rip up the paper viciously. Strews of paper fluttered to the ground and bed. He ripped every last part of the papers until his hands were tired, and his bed was decorated with it. His arms dropped to his sides abruptly. His breathing came in deep breaths

"I suppose that's your answer," Akashi said, amused. He cupped Kuroko's pale cheek and leaned over his lap. Their lips touched for a second.

"No," Kuroko muttered, grabbing Akashi's neck and pushing himself off from the bed. The redhead fell back and caught Kuroko on top of him. Chapped lips touched soft ones; slender hands gripped teal locks; blue eyes concealed by eyelids. Once again, Kuroko could feel the deepest appreciation stir in his chest for the red-headed teen in front of him. They broke apart slowly.

Something flickered in Akashi's red and yellow eyes. "I've received news Seirin made it to the finals of the Winter Cup. You will be competing against Rakuzan next."

Kuroko rolled his body so that he was no longer on top of Akashi. "We'll win, Akashi-kun."

"Have you not learned anything?" Akashi turned to look at Kuroko in the eyes. "I _always_ win, so therefore, I am _always_ right."

"Not this time. Seirin will beat Rakuzan for the Winter Cup."

"We'll see." He turned again so that he was facing the ceiling. "Do keep that determination during the match. I want to become your enemy on the court. After I claim the Winter Cup however—"

"Doesn't Akashi-kun mean after Seirin claims the Winter Cup?"

"I never lose."

Kuroko gave Akashi a soft jab with the elbow. He was probably the only one who could do that without dying. His head was now on top of his former captain's shoulder. "This is the type of battle I can fight . . ." he hesitated. "Seijuro-kun. I won't hold back."

Akashi gave a sly smile. "I should hope not," he murmured. "Then," he placed his head against Kuroko's, their faces inches away. "Our next battle will be on the court. We will see who is stronger. And . . ."

Kuroko tilted his head. "And?"

"And I may or may not kiss you during the match." Akashi pressed his lips against Kuroko's forehead before standing up. He didn't give time for the tealhead to react. "Your father is calling." He disappeared behind the door.

Kuroko scrambled up. "Akashi-kun! That is unfair." But, he sighed, cracked a smile, and followed Akashi down the stairs. Ibuki had claimed so many times he and his father would not fare without the support of her 'generous' help. She had insulted him, threatened and yelled to appreciate how well she brought up the family, and betrayed him as a mother. Her scars and words were engraved lightly into him, and reminded him how little they affected him now.

His father could now have a wife he could be happy with, and Kuroko could focus on his studies and basketball, focus on the Winter Cup, which he _would_ win. They were doing well, and not a thought of Ibuki could ruin it.

Loud knocks on the unlocked door echoed throughout the house before it opened widely. Kise, Midorima, Aomine, and Murasakibara poked their heads in. "Akashicchi invited us!" Kise yelled. "And Aominecchi brought drinks!"

"Yes, why don't we all just throw a party?" Haru asked tiredly, coming out to greet them.

"Kurokocchi!" Kise threw his arms around Kuroko. "Aominecchi brought a vanilla milk shake for you!"

"Aka-chin said to bring snacks, so I did," Murasakibara held up a grocery bag.

Midorima pushed up his glasses. "Hm. I was invited last minute. Because Aquarius ranked second today, I brought your lucky item."

"Kise dragged me here," Aomine grumbled.

"Don't lie, Daiki."

Kuroko leaned against the wall quietly and observed his surroundings. He watched how Kise greeted Catherine and Haru enthusiastically, how Aomine punched Kise in the head for being too loud, how Murasakibara offered Pocky to Akashi, and how Midorima shook his head and mumbled something unintelligent. He observed his father, who was trying to get everyone under control and ask their preferred drinks and meals, and Catherine, who escaped to the kitchen to cook more for their uninvited guests.

Then at Akashi, who would glance at him every few seconds before dealing with the Generation of Miracles. A small smile carved onto Kuroko's lips.

Yes. They were doing well.


End file.
